The Rightful Heir
by idreamofinuyoukai
Summary: Sequel to 'Monsters Among us'. Rin has been having nightmares for months, leading up to her 12th birthday. with her guardian wrapped up in matters of the state, Rin has to find her own destiny, which seems to want her, weather she's ready for it or not. meanwhile things are beginning to turn to chaos between the empire and the demon council. Rin will need to embrace her destiny
1. Chapter 1

In the rapidly falling dusk, Kagome could barely see the path in front of her feet, she stumbled once or twice before she reached the place where he waited for her.

"Kagome, you are late, again." a stern male voice reprimanded her. Shido, waited as she pulled up her sleeves and began her chores of washing and mending the laundry, she was being punished for the third time that week, with the most hated job among the shrine maidens. She held her head high and completed her task, even when the night fell around her. Shido snorted, when she slopped water over onto her sacred robes. She shivered, cold from the breeze of the late winter chill. " you are the one to blame for this, demons are our enemies, you cannot spare your spiritual energy on the likes of them" he said. She had been caught feeding some of the lesser demons that inhabited the forest close to the shrine. She rolled her eyes, thinking how much he would despise, her if he knew that she was legally married to a taiyoukai.

She had made the decision herself, that she wished to pursue spiritual magic. After two years of managing the territory and waiting for Sesshomaru to return home from patrolling the land, she had insisted that to continue in her work as a healer and as a priestess, she would benefit from staying in a shrine for a while. Kagome was disillusioned upon arrival and found the environment to be militant in scheduling and duties, including the use of sexual favors and exploitation for higher visitors and guests by the shrine priests vested on earing a reputation for themselves. She had remained at the top of her training and excelled in archery and creating sutras, strong enough to repel or destroy a demon of average streingth. But the priests, many of whom had approached her in the last year, tended to punish her frequently for minor issues... such as feeding the lesser demons, which they claim curse the fields and cause locusts to destroy crops. Kagome found, upon approaching them that it was not the case and that they preferred the simple life of foraging to terrorizing humans. They had not listened and had delivered s quick warning before administering a set of threats that she shrugged off.

" I will remember." she said dispassionately. Shido rolled his eyes not believing her, they had spent enough time together, that he knew that she was not going to change her ideas about demons.

" do you realize, that demons only want to _kill_ humans. It's there fault that 'The Great Emperor' was slain, and _we_ were cast into this demon ruled hell." Shido said. ".. our purpose is to cleanse the world of demons, not _feed them when they're hungry_."

Kagome waited until he was finished, and knelt to pick up her load. Walking back down the path to the shrine, she passed the all too familiar buildings to the storage room, where outside the hanging lines were. Standing on her toes, she endured another lecture as she hung the cloths to dry overnight.

Shido departed when he was satisfied that she had done a good enough job. He walked away, muttering about how stubborn she was and saying that the next would be a rightious beeting for their trouble. Kagome glared at his back and looked into the clear starry sky. The moon was nearly a sliver, and she smiled remembering the one waiting for her, just outside the shrine.

Kagome looked around, for anyone that would see her, and ran through the courtyard to the gate and didn't stop until she was surrounded by the forest. Kagome could barely see, but she felt the disturbance of energy before her and kept her pace, trying not to run and fall. Her heart beat quickened thinking about there reunion. She had counted down the days since the last time they met, and she was beginning to feel that the time passed too slowly for her.

Seeing a small fire light in the distance, she knew that it wasn't for him, he was waiting for _her_. "Kagome", she turned to stare into liquid gold eyes, he was in inch from her and wrinkled his nose, Kagme launched herself into his arms and embraced him happily. " ...you smell of that priest, have you been... punished again?" he asked not happy. Kagome frowned and nodded. " that is every time that I have come to see you, you are being subjected to mediocre tasks for punishment. You are a noble, this is beneath you." he said trying once more to convince her to come home. Kagome though about it seriously.

" I have been learning so much... the head priestess told me that she has never seen someone with the natural abilities that I have... She had indicated, that I might be chosen to be apart of the emperors ceremony during the new year." she said excitedly. Sesshoamru continued to frown and Kagome sighed and laid her head against his chest. He had removed his armor and she suspected that he had been there a while. " How have the lands looked, is there still war between the forest and field fox tribes?" she asked.

" they have... irritated me for the last time..." he said thinking on the destruction that came with the lesson that he had taught them. " those that remain, will understand that in _my_ lands, I am the decider of strife and conflict."

" Good, how has Rin been with her lessons." Kagome took his hand and stepped closer to the fire.

" She has picked up the healing practice with little problem, though her potions cause this ones nose... discomfort." He admitted. Kagome suspected that it was a little more then discomfort that he had experienced. Inuyasha, had passed out instantly when she had concocted a brew a few weeks prior to heal a minor injury during one of his visits. She sighed, minor injury to_ these_ men meant that their limb was still attached, less the skin and muscle. She was still amazed when she saw them regenerate, faster then even she could heal them.

" I miss everyone." she admitted aloud. He stepped back taking her hand in his own.

" that is something that I wish to discuss." he started, he had already know when he had gotten the news himself that she would not be happy with the arrangement, it was part of the reason he had called her this night. " my title has been questioned, and there is a matter that I must see to in the capital." he said to her dismay.

" how long are you going to be gone?" she asked worried. She had heard that there was some trouble going on with demons in the capital.

" I do not know. They wish to put me on trial there, they are supposing that, because my family has neglected our role in the council, that my title is to be passed to the next family in line for the lordship." he was seething and Kagome could feel the waves of anger rolling off of him.

" What will you do?" she asked afraid of what he might say. She knew that he lusted for power, it scared her, thinking about how vicious that he had become since becoming a demon. He was jealous and short tempered, with little patience for anyone, it seemed like, besides her. She was grateful that he was gentle towards her and, as he had promised her they remained friends, something that took them years to work out. The first year, was filled with hair raising fights, that angered her to the point that she didn't mind if he just killed her and got it over with. But, eventually, after many arguments, a few holes in the forest _and_ compromise on both parts, they had managed to work out a decent relationship that left each of them room to breath, even when they were angry at one another.

" I will answer their challenge and defeat any who stand in my way." he said. She was unsurprised but it still did not make her happy. She accepted it though and she, as much as anyone else knew how powerful and _stubborn_ that he was. She really didn't expect him to answer any other way, except to slay any that defied him, something that had caused many fights between them. It was simply not acceptable to her, for him to kill random men who happened to brush past her and touch he on the way.

" I knew that you would." she said. He pulled her closer and scented the shift in her emotions. He felt her heart beat slow as she came to accept his decision. He hated to see the pain in her eyes when he left her. But he also knew that she would wait for him and be there when he returned. This had begun to become regular between them. He had learned that the life of a demon was filled with battle and killing. Even when he was not in war he was constantly challenged by demons of lesser power with the intention to take what status that he had been rapidly gaining. Even among demons he was unmatched as a warrior... So far.

" I will return to you." he said confidently.

" I know that you will." she did, he was dependable if nothing else, and she knew that he was a force to be reckoned with. It still gave her chills, thinking about the cold stare that always lingered a moment after he returned from killing.

" I have a meal prepared." he said, having gone hunting while he was waiting for her to arrive. She glanced at the fire, and saw the dressed rabbits that were crispy from the roasting fire. She sat down and ate quietly still mulling over the possibility that she wouldn't see him for a while. He sat across from her silently watching the flickering emotions that played across her face. That was something that he did not miss about being human, as a demon he went about his business unfettered by the troubles humans toil over in their insignificant lives. He was beginning to have little penitence for them during his travels. Kagome glanced at him occasionally, still clearly unhappy, but he could do nothing about it. " this is not how I wished to spend this night." he said trying to smooth over her displeasure.

" nor I, but I just- " she started but she shook her head. " I know this is what you want to do and I will be here when you return. Perhaps I could accompany you on your journey, the shrine is going to be there in a month for the new year and, I could rejoin them then. It would take you the night to get to the capital where it would that us a week." she plead with him. He crossed over to her and took the half eaten food from her hand and set it beside the fire, just out of the flame to keep it warm.

" I will consider this. The trial will be in three weeks time. I have until then to address them once and have a pre-hearing. From my understanding, the first meeting is an informal event, to prove to these fools, that I am of the correct linage for my title." he nearly growled at the irritation that this had caused him.

Kagome managed a smile and allowed him to take her mind to other things. They talked for an hour and she fell asleep in his arms content to do so. The morning would be spent in pain, when the priest figured out that she had spent the night out again. This would be the _sixth_ time this year that she had snuck out after hours, and she had given up trying to sneak back in, having been caught each and every time thus far. She would walk boldly into the shrine and pick up the broom as Shido gave her another lecture about sleeping indoors. They believed that she was sneaking out to meet with demons. Little did they know that this particular demon was hers, papered and everything.

Waking with her nose in the crook of his neck Kagome nuzzled him and kissed him gently there before pulling herself back, and standing, stretching her arms above her head. He watched her gather her things, and stood to grasp her in his arms before letting her go.

Sesshomaru waited in the forest while she walked back to the shrine. They had agreed that they would say good bye there, and she would conceal her marriage to him while she was at the shrine. He had never liked the idea, but he had agreed, seeing that she truly wanted to be there. He had wanted to make up for being absent so often himself. That had been a year and three shrines ago. He scented the air and smelled only lesser demons aside from the human inhabitants of the shrine. The shrine sat above a small village in the densest part of the forest. He had always thought this to be an error in construction but the magnitude of spiritual energy ,drove most demons away. He was not most demons.

Having some preparation to do still before his journey home, he stayed a while he re oiled the leather and cleaned the blood stains off of his armor. He was almost finished when the wind caught his nose and he was instantly enraged. He was gone from that place in a heartbeat. Running right for the shirine. He was done with the arrogance of these humans, who thought they could touch what was his alone. When her agonized cries reached his ears his eyes turned red.

Kagome tried to hold back the cries as the lash whipped her across her bare back. The old man had been there when she arrived this morning and had called a meeting to decide her fate. She was being held responsible for the time spent searching for her during the midnight ceremony and the mud stains that were in her red hakima. They had decided that she needed to be whipped and had designated a priest of the from the shift, named Kanime. She had never gotten along with him and he had made it more then obvious that he was only too happy to take the task.

" please stop- ahhhhh!" she could not hold back any more and writhed trying to pull free if the bindings. He was putting stripes on her back, she could feel the blood bead from the open cuts as another stripe was laid open. She screamed even through her agony she felt him coming. She prayed for his sake that the man ran before he got there.

Sesshoamru flashed past her, and grabbed the whip out of Kanimes' hand as he was about to lay into her again. Taking the wrist in his hand he removed it from the human, before cutting him down where he stood. Walking quickly over to Kagome, he cut the leather straps that bound her wrists and pulled her to him, careful not to touch the bleeding welts that criss-crossed her lightly tanned back. He was growling angrilly as he heard another set of footfalls.

" what is going on here- Kanime are you done with that brat yet-" Shido rounded the corner to stop dead in his tracks. He saw Kagome in the arms of the inuyoukai and reached into his robes to withdraw a sutra, throwing it at Sesshomaru. " be gone demon." he shouted.

Sesshomaru was nearly foaming at the mouth with rage he tore the sutras out of the air with his claws. And grabbed the man by his throat. " that smell..." he growled recognizing him as one of the human males that lusted after her, and dared to put his scent on her. " _You_ think you can touch what belongs to me... worthless wretch, remember it is by _her_ grace that I allow you to live or die." he spat throwing the man through the storage room. Shido landed in the rubble unconscious.

There was a commotion as priests and priestesses that ran from the gardens and buildings preparing to attack. Sesshomaru finished and the fury building inside of his was fueled by the smell of Kagomes' blood on their hands. He tore his way through the shrine pummeling all who stood before him he walked right to the head priests building and the old human had the nerve to sit at his doorway sipping tea when he arrived.

" What is your business here demon? Surely if you wish to devour this maiden you could find a more convenient prey." he said unfazed by the raging aura of the taiyouki.

" You fools... She is mine, under _my_ protection and _no one of you will lay a hand on her_." he walked right to him and grabbed him by the throat. Squeezing the life out of him he watched wit satisfaction as he turned blue and passed out. Throwing him down he heard the sound of the old mans hip break and just stepped over him exiting. He carried Kagome out of town and did not care as the humans around him scurried around trying to seal him and trap him, in their ridiculous inventions. He cut his way through them all with his bare claws. Clearing the shrine gates, he bounded out and jumped into to the sky.

Kagome was ashamed, in more then one way. She had lied several times to cover up the punishments that she had received, and in continuing to lead a double life she had lost the trust of most of the people in that shrine. Now, there was no way she could keep up her charade. The demon still grasping her against him was a testament to that. She could still hear the thrum of his anger batting against her spiritual energy.

They set down as the edge of a spring. He did not wait to undress her and walked sight into the spring and dropped her in the water she gasped surprised by the sudden cold but he did not allow her to cling to him and rendered her of her clothing and proceeded to clean the welts on her back. When he was content, he allowed her to get out of the water, and built a fire for her cloths to dry. He left momentarily and returned with the armor that he had left while going to find her. She was dry and huddled next to the fire shivering. He scented the air to assure that she was not in danger of becoming ill, he did not scent any sickness on her.

" you are welcome to come home now if you wish." he said hoping that she would relent from her pursuance of spiritual powers.

" sesshoamru, I want to..." she started.

" I can protect you." he started himself. She cut her eyes at him.

" you did this all on purpose!" she accused him. Sesshomaru stood up not liking to be called out so blatantly.

"I want you to come home." he insisted.

" _You_ said that I could study in the shrines. You _promised_ that I could have two years away. To be on my own." she reminded him angrily. Standing with his nose an inch from hers he glared.

" These people will never accept you. I cannot stand by, and watch them treat you as if you were some common wench. They have harassed you about becoming a courtesan to minor politicians and I can smell the lust of those disgusting priests. _Come home_." he snarled.

Kagome knew that arguing with him at this point was pointless. "you have been spying on me?" she asked realizing that these were things that she hadn't mentioned to him before.

Sesshomaru crossed his arms and refused to answer. In fact he had been watching her for days and only had to listen to the shrine whores gossip, to hear about their displeasure with her. The women were envious that she was being given attention, even with her refusal to follow rules, for having superior spiritual abilities. " I have not spied. There is no need." he was indignant.

they argued back forth the until she winced against the cold wind that blew the back of his robe into the scored flesh of her back. " let me.." he reached for her. She frowned still not pleased with him but allowed him to pull her to him and rested between his legs against his chest. He drew down the robe and leaned to the cut closest to her shoulder. He had healed her before, his saliva contained a coagulant that sealed human wounds so that not even a scar was left. He licked her wound and could not resist tasting the blood of the woman that had managed to become as important to him an himself. She gave him reason and incentive to be stronger. No priest or distance would keep from him what was his, and his alone.

They spent another night beneath the stars and before she was even awake she was whisked away, carried twice the distance she could travel in a day over in minutes. She did not feel it when he removed his robe and placed her in her own yukata. He would stay with her that night, in the morning they would decide what they would do about this latest shrine. This was the fourth one that he had decimate in the last year, he was sure that she was determined to continue studying but he jealously regretted the amount of time that this comprise had cost him.

" Sesshomaru... are we home?" she asked he turned into her and pulled her tightly against him.

" Yes... Home." he said into her ear. She nodded and turned over and buried her face into his chest. She was not done arguing, he was sure. But he enjoyed being with her, she smelled of power and forest, two of his favorite things. Surrounded by the comfort of her affection he was confidant that the demons would not stand a chance against him. He would retain the lord ship and follow in his grandfathers footsteps.


	2. Chapter 2

Rin woke when she felt Sesshomaru land on the balcony, that wrapped around to her room. He did not come to her room, she suspected that he had gone after lady Kagome again, and had brought her home. Rin was glad in a lot of ways that Kagome would be home, at least, before setting off for another shrine. Keade had moved back to the village when Kagome had left, saying that she 'had no desire to live in the palace and had set of herself, to live in the, now human, portion of the village. Many things had changed for her in the last few years. She was a few weeks from her 12th birthday and she growing in height and manner maturing as a young woman did. She was nervous still, remembering how angry that Lord Sesshomaru was when the messenger had arrived the day before last. He had been silent but Rin could feel how angry he was, even without spiritual powers.

Rin had realized, that she was about to go through a change, of some kind. She had felt strange and the attitudes of the demon staff confirmed it to her. It was to puzzling for her to wrap her mind around. They did everything she said. She had experimented with repetition, and it had gone unnoticed, unlike her previous schemes for attention, she was sure that it was something more then social climbing. Rin had learned much from lady Kagome and standing up for herself was one of them. She was able to look any demon in the face and tell them that she was not a tool to gain the favor of lord Sesshomaru.

But this? This was something that she was too afraid to say aloud. Remembering the words that the demon Naraku had said, before trying to kill her four years ago, she had sealed that part of her life away from everything. It was something that had cost her everything. Rin didn't want power or money all she wanted was to be near her master and guardian. That thought brought her back to the dream that she had awakened from.

It was the day that she had lost her mother, she was holding her refusing to leave her side while a black haired boy grasped the back of her kimono and tried to pry her from her mothers corps. Rin fought hard wailing and refusing to leave. She always hated the next part, when the villagers came and burned her home, in her dream she could not escape and always ended the dream banging her fists against the closed shutters and feeling the intensity of the flames. The shutters would open just enough to allow her to see the glares of the villagers faces, watching her burn, there was one face that always stood out to her. A woman, in her mid fifties that stood straight, watching without blinking as the house and everyone in it burned. They always locked eyes at the end of the dream and one word echoed through her mind. " die." Rin would always wake up then, sweating and gasping for breath.

Looking out to the starlit sky she tried to turn over and go to sleep but found it impossible.

" Rin, are you awake already." her companion asked. Rin sat up and looked as the small bird demon landed on her bed. The dark feathers consumed the light around him and she could not make out his features in the night, not with her human eyes. " its another nightmare, isn't it? The lord has just arrived home, you should speak with him about this. I am sure that it is no coincidence."

" Ah Tiki-san, you are right. I will speak with him." Rin agreed looking away, she had been stalling. There was a weight on her shoulders, and with the problems being heaped on her lord right then she didn't want to add to them. " I wander whats going to happen with the demon council."

" They will see that he is worthy of his rank and he will no undoubtedly retain his lordship. He would never allow his lands to go to another." Tangu chirped confidently. "Don't worry yourself over his affairs, he is able to handle himself."

"Tiki-san, I want you to keep what I have told you about my dreams, and the power that I have been feeling to yourself. I will go to lord Sesshomaru but I need some time to think still." she asked her dear friend. Tangu understood and could do nothing but agree to her request. He had heard from the flocks that journeyed from the north, that there was a chance that one of great power would rise up to replace the great emperor, he was just regretful that Rin had been born a woman.

" Rin, I am ever loyal to you, you healed my broken wing when others walked past. I could do nothing but serve you." he bowed. Rin sighed, she had told him several times that she did not need a servant, and did not take too much advantage of the ones she had. But Tangu, crow demon, was determined to serve her loyally.

" Tiki-san, I have always cared for you, my dreams are beginning to change there is some one else in my dream."

" ...are you speaking of the woman outside the window?" Tangu asked interested.

" No... there is a boy, with black hair. He is familiar to me..." she trailed off, wracking her memory for his image. She had tried to place him several times, and had always ended up thinking about the last time that she had watched her father leave for a border skirmish before he died, instead. She was sure that it was not her father. At that moment in her life he father had been dead a year, and he was much older then the boy that was in her dream.

" you will remember." Tangu said reassuring her, and hopping up onto her shoulder. She sighed and he patted her head, not sure what else he could do. Tangu watched over her until she fell back asleep and frowned when she began thrashing and rolling around in her sleep. He dodged a rouge fist that swung out in fear. He flew above her reach and touched down on the perch that she had placed for him. He put his head under his wing and plumed his feathers settling to rest himself.

Tangu woke several times to the sound of her pained cries. Twice more Rin sat up startled only to fall back to her bed and throw the blanket over her face frustrated.

Sesshomaru was wide awake listening to the sounds of his ward troubled sleeping. He had been aware for several days that she had been suffering from night terrors, she had yet to approach him about them. He was becoming concerned, she had seemed to be changing, and more then maturing into a woman, much to his dismay, she was showing signs of extraordinary power. She was not yet aware that he had known this already but the moment that he had awakened as a demon. He knew that she was different. He had felt subdued to her will and noticed the effortless way that she moved among them, even as a human. He had checked several times for demonic or spiritual powers, but he had found none. What she had was something different.

"Rin..." he heard the crow demons whisper, they thought that they could hide within his walls, but he heard every word clearly. He was not spying, this was his home and it was about people under his protection. He had resented the accusation Kagome had made about him spring. He was a demon, if she didn't want him to hear her then she should not speak at all. Especially, right next to the place where he dwelt.

Sesshoamru was plagued wit the problems his females brought about, he did not want Kagome to go to another shrine, and he was not pleased when Rin was unwell. She had carried so little negativity for a human, that scenting the salt of her tears, caused him rage. He was helpless though, unable to slay her night mare.

Rin was awake before dawn and rose dressing and leaving her room for the gardens where she was collecting some root that was best collected before the heat of the day. Returning indoors she set of to the kitchens, passing several demons clamoring around the halls of the palace. They had gathered, as a demon army, no longer dependent on weaponry and tactics they fought with fear and aggression, matching massive energy against unstoppable forces. In their off time they dwelt in their natural environments which in a lot of cases for the lesser demons is a dark space that they needed.

" Hi, Rin." some of them called she smiled kindly, she rounded the corner and walked into white robes. she gasped and fell backwards.

" Rin." she heard the voice of the man that she had hoped to avoid until she had gathered a little more courage. She looked up to see Lord Sesshomaru staring down at her.

"My lord I did not expect to see you so early," she tried. He narrowed his eyes at her and she sighed. " forgive me lord Sesshomaru," she asked bowing.

" Enough Rin, stand and speak with me." he demanded. Rin looked up at him and the color drained out of her face. She should have guessed that there was no way she could keep something from him. She doubted that Tiki-san had betrayed her, rather, she guessed that he had over heard her.

Rin followed him to the study at the end of the hall and waited as he went about taking the messages and collecting things that he need ed to finish his paperwork. " Lord Sesshomaru, I have been having nightmares..." she began and described the reoccurring dream to him. And the worried that she had been having. Sesshomaru listened and did not interrupt until she was finished speaking.

" I have known for a week that this has been troubling you." he said allowing her to realize that there was nothing that she could hide from him within his own home. " my concern lies in that you have yet to mention to me what has had you distracted from your daily duties." he said reinforcing his strict rules and expectations for her. She slumped looking sheepish.

" forgive me my lord. I did not wish to trouble you further." she admitted

" do you think that you, a child can stand against me." he leveled with her. She shook her head. " is there any who can stand before me?" she once more shook her head. " it is not for you to determine what is to much for me to be burdened with." he said not allowing her room to defy him further. She understood and could not help the tears that welled in her eyes from being chastised. He wrinkled his nose smelling the salt of her tears. " cry no more Rin, I expect you to call Keade and ask her to brew a sleep aide for you. There is too much to attend to to allow your health to slip." he dismissed her. Rin stood and crossed the room and hugged him tightly. It was one thing that she had never grown out of she loved him, and wanted to show him as much as she could, but he seldom returned her affection. As always he let her slip away and watched as she walked out of the study and shut the door firmly behind her.

He was left only a moments peace before the door to his study opened to reveal Kagome. She looked at him wearily. " you weren't there when I woke up." she said grumpily. She crossed the room and curled in his lap not allowing him a choice in the matter. He did n to hesitate to take her in his arms. It was something that he enjoyed doing and she cuddled into him.

Rin walked the rest of the way to her lessons, she had given up on making her salve this morning. She had only really wanted to so that she could avoid her stoic lord, he had found her himself. She should have known that it was useless to try and keep something from him. he always knew, before she could tell him.

" Hello Tiki-san." she greeted the crow as Tangu landed on her shoulder.

" Rin, the lord was looking for you, forgive me but I told him that you had left for the gardens." he said

" It's alright, Tiki-san, I've already talked with lord Sesshomaru." she sighed. Her tutor, a lizard demon with excellent calligraphy, was waiting for her when she slid the door open. He ran her through history, calligraphy and reading. She tried to keep her mind on her lessons abut found her mind constantly drawn back to her dream and the black haired boy. She had tried to remember him but each time she thought about him, she could not see his face, only his dark hair and voice rang clear in her memory.

Several miles to the north, a boy about 15 summers labored. He was tall and strong, used to the arduous labor of being a farmer. " Souta, you must come in, your mother, has finished breakfast." an ogre demon stuck his head out of the door of their modest home.

" thanks, dad." he said gratefully. Souta threw down the axe in his hands and trotted happily to the home he had lived for half of his life. His mother was a water demon,a nymph with blue hair and the power to move water in any form. It had made her a formidable opponent and she had also taught him everything about demons. " mother, your stew smells delicious." he complimented. He saw his mothers shoulders drop, and he felt her sadness, " mom..."

" your mother is alright, she has just been troubled by strange dreams, as of late." the Oger came in and patted her on the back. They made a strange couple, but the love that they both had for each other was enough to keep them together.

" I have been troubled by nightmares as well." he admitted, his mother walked around and set his food before him.

" I keep having this feeling that your going to leave us, after we found you all those years ago. My son, do you know that your father and I love you, we were apart of your grandfathers army and when your father was killed we gave up hope in the future. When you came to us that day, everything in us believed that you were going to be great..."

" Azura, that is enough. We have raised him into a man, it is for him to decide his own fate."Soutas foster father said. They gathered around and ate in silence. Souta looked from one demon to the next, he had dreamed of the day that he had lost his mother, and sister. He felt sick remembering the fire and the village that he had fled from.

" we have talked of this many times. I do not have the power that my grandfather posessed." he said sourly. His father growled.

" you have the command, just as he did, all of his bloodline are capibal of it. You are the one."the ogre slammed his fist down on the floor and the house shook.

" your fathers right." the water demoness sniffedwhipping the tears from her watery eyes.

Souta went back to work after the meal. He had known since he was a child who he was, the memories of battle and loss still wrenched his heart and he had turned from it many times. But the dreams always refreshed the feeling of inevidability in his heart. He finished chopping the chord of firewood and went to the next job.

" Sesshomaru! Why do you have to be so suborn all the time." Kagome threw her hands up and sat flinging herself back on their bed. Sesshomaru growled and walked over to her.

" I have made my credentials clear, find a shrine that asides by them, or finish your training here. I could send for a priestess of teach you..." he said

Kagome sat up and leveled with him. " we don't have to get into this fight again. I dont like to argue with you." she huffed

" you are too valuable to allow you to be beaten and subjected to that kind of treatment." Sesshomaru folded his arms and it was obvious he didn't want to compromise.

" There is the shrine of Morderiko... they are renowned for their purification and..."

" Demon slayers." he added.

" what do you want from me! You had agreed that it was for the best that I learn how to control this power. And your not home so often..."

" Kagome. That is enough." Sesshomaru said wearily. He was tired of hearing the same thing whenever she wanted to go off and train in a shrine. "i know that last year I promised you this,but.. I no longer wish for you to be away." he said finally. Kagome blinked.

" Really?" she asked he nodded. She writhed on the inside giddy to see him admit something like that. " so its not about the shrine, you ...miss me" she smiled wickedly. He frowned and resisted the urge to growl. Placing his hand over her mouth he shook his head.

" Don't" he warned, but Kagome was heedless.

It was an hour later they found themselves walking through the garden. It was one of the only things that she could do to get him away form the demons who constantly sought out his attention. They left the grounds of the palace and ventured into the forest. It was a cold day, wit the frost till on the grass though the sun had bee out for hours.

Kagome walked down the familiar paths glad to be out of the palace. Sesshomaru walked behind her trailing her at a distance there was something in the distance and he was wary of it. A force of power that he had never felt before. And it was headed directly for them. He tried to detect the intention smelling for the heightened adrenaline that indicated an attack. he smelled nothing, except curiosity and allowed the demon to pass his border.

" Kagome, come here." he said to her, bringing her attention away from the herbs that had caught her interest. Kagome looked back at him and did as she was asked. He grabbed her and pulled her behind him just as a massive white beast stopped in their path.

The old dog sniffed them and Sesshomaru stood unmoving, waiting for whatever business that he though he might have. He was graying around the muzzle and looked at Sesshomaru with amusement in his old eyes.

" pup. You are the one... of her blood." he growled.

Sesshoamru decided that it was not worth his time. Smelling no threat he grabbed Kagomes' hand and dragged her away. Kagome followed unfazed and glanced back at the big dog and smiled.

The old dog cocked his head to the side and bounded after him. " pup, I have been sent for you. She wants to see you before the trial." he barked after them. Kagome paused hearing his broken words and was nearly pulled from her feet, in Sesshomarus', impatience.

" What do you think he wants, Sesshoamru?" kagome whispered.

" I do not care." he grunted and scooped her up tired of waiting for her slow human pace to catch up. She gasped and looked back at the old dog wh continued to follow them at a leisurely pace.

" Pup... Sesshoamru. That is exactly what your mother wanted to name you. Though I tried to get her to try something more pleasant then_ killing perfection_. " the dog cackled.

Sesshoamru turned and growled. " I Sesshomaru am the lord of these lands and you will address me as such or die." he spat not allowing his authority to be undermined.

" Put your human down, and come with me. There is much you need to learn." the old dog stopped and transformed into an ancient looking demon. He taller then Sesshomaru but he looked like he was centuries old. Kagome barely felt the power that he possessed, unlike Sesshoamru who emanated a fierce and brutal aura constantly, he seemed to be as serene as a pool of water.

" what business do you have with me. Speak now before I loose patience with you old man." he snapped. The old man did not look away from the piercing gold stare.

" Sesshomaru. There is no chance that you can win against me." he said calmly and realized his demonic energy. Kagomes' knees buckled and she nearly passed out. Sesshoaru caught her and growled fiercely. He was too aware of the unimaginable energy that was suffocating his own demonic energy. " pup. There has been much neglect to your training, disappointingly, you are the only choice that the council will accept. As you are there is no way that you will retain your title. We cannot allow our clan to be shamed in such a way. I no longer am here to ask. Sesshomaru come with me, or I will take you there my self."

Sesshomaru was shocked by the reality of this situation. Frowning he knew that with all the strength that he had come to on his own he would not be able to defeat this frail old demon. He set Kagome against a tree trunk, she was slipping in and out of consciousness and drifted off as soon as he set her down.

" Who has sent you." he asked wondering who could summon this amount of strength to capture him.

" your grandmother, I am her retainer, Sakaki. She sent me to bring you back to our clan and see that you are properly trained for your trial." he said unflinchingly.

" My grandmother?"

" Yes, you are the product of pure white Inuyoukai blood. Our clan is ancient and powerful, we once sat at the right hand of the Emperor, but things have changed in my long life. With the strife between the humans and demons we are in need of our strongest warriors." he said.

" I will go." he accepted. The old dog grinned and Sesshomaru could feel the tides turning, change was in the air.


	3. Chapter 3

The day had defiantly not turned around for Sesshomaru, he was flying on the back of a two headed dragon that had been called to him by the old dog demon. He called it, Ah-Un, and told him that they were his. He accepted, finding the gift acceptable, the old man had rolled his eyes. Something that set his teeth on edge, and barked a laugh that ate at his patience. They returned to the palace and went about their normal schedule, plus one. Kagome was getting along with him famously. He had gone out of his way to sniff her, something that had nearly sent him over the edge, and talk with her as though _they_ were old friends. Kagome seemed to like him as well. Sesshomaru wasn't amused. The only thing that he had found acceptable, about their carefree conversing, was that the old demon never_ touched_ her or laid his sent on her in any way.

" My dear you are brave living amongst so many demons." he laughed as they sipped tea in the private study, the old dog hadn't been invited, he had just assumed that he was and had followed them. Sesshomaru sipped his sake trying to ignore him.

" Its not so bad, Sesshomaru keeps them off my back, for the most part. I grew up here, too, so I know a lot of the demons already." she smiled charming him further. the old demon was enthralled by her.

" Interesting, that one such as yourself would have such a... precarious position within the palace.." he said looking slightly uncomfortable.

" I... don't understand?" she furrowed her brows. Setting her teacup down she gave him her full attention.

" That a human priestess would become... the _courtesan_ of a demon lord, even a young one." he said finally.

Kagome blushed, but did not take it personally, she even managed to laugh when Sesshomarus' eyes snapped open. " I am _married_ to him... You will find all of the documents in order, sir. I assure you ,I am no courtesan." she laughed. The look on the demons face was confused. He glanced at the inu male sitting next to her and he had challenge in his eyes.

Looking at Sesshomaru. " Forgive my misunderstanding... would you excuse us, my lady. This one would like to speak with your... husband." he smiled. Kagome glanced at Sesshomaru who was looking unflinchingly at Sakake. He nodded at her, and excused her.

When the door was closed behind her the old dog dropped his calm facade. " you are a shame to our whole line. Even the natural instincts of a dog could gain more knowledge then you have in these three years."

" You know nothing of me, I have agreed to accept training but make no mistake that I will remember your words and deeds as I gain power." he said the threat easily heard in his words. The old man laughed.

" you are just like her." he barked another laugh but soon sobered. " we must leave immediately. Is your human safe here... or would you leave her among these demons." he was testing him Sesshomaru could tell. But he was not interested in playing these games. The promise of power had set his resolve to go with him. The thought of reconnecting with his clan or abiding by customs did not interest him. He leveled with the old demon.

" My wife is capable against most demons, I would not fear for her." he said calmly. The youkai frowned.

"You have lived as a human for too long. There are things that you must learn to accept. You are not human... you are an inuyoukai."

" I have accepted that in my life..."he said tired of hearing it for the fourth time that day.

" That is not of what I mean, you _act_ as a human, with your human companions, and think as they do. You have no concept of what it is to be inuyoukai." Sakaki threw up his hands at how stubborn he was. The child reminded him of his grandmother every second. But, he needed to harness the power that he had. The old inuyoukai had smelled the raw power that surrounded the young demon the moment that he had passed his boarder. But, he had the control of an infant compared to other demons of his same age. Had they been made aware of his existence before that day, four years ago, he was certain that she would have sent for him sooner. As It was, it has been thirty three years since his mother had been sent back to them in a coma.

" I live as I need to, to suit my purposes. I do not need to explain my pack to you. My wife and ward are mine, you will not get to them, but through me." he narrowed his eyes ready to accept the challenge that this demon was asking for.

The old demon sighed. " you will see what I am talking about. You will learn that there are laws that govern even us, we all abide by them, or watch the things we've worked for be stolen away." the old demon said cryptically. Sesshomaru was done listening to him and stood to leave. The old dog didn't stand to follow him.

" contact any of my staff, and they will see that your are properly cared for. I will require a day to prepare and then I will go with you." he said. Before turning and leaving. Sakake looked after him and scented the irritation radiating off of him in waves. He shook his head at the total lack of self control and chucked sadistically at the rude awakening that this entitled pup was in for.

Standing Sakake went to the window and bounded gracefully to the ground. He would sleep in the trees that night. Seeing a great old growth in the gardens he perched himself, resting within the limbs.

Sesshomaru was still irritated when he entered his chamber, Kagome was waiting for him there and she turned to smile at him as he entered. " hello, he is still alive I hope, " she teased. He growl ed not in the mood. She was wearing a thin youkata, shifting forward she allowed the front to come apart revealing flesh that snapped his attention. She was reading a scroll and barely looked as he walked over to her. Kagome pretended that she had done nothing and looked at him innocently.

He was rougher then he had intended to be when he pulled her to stand and molded her body to his front. The sweet smile. turned wicked when he descended to ravage the side of her face down to her shoulder with heated kisses. Her hands worked at the ties of his cloths and pushed the fabric down from his shoulders until she was assaulted by the smooth granite flesh of his chest and abs. She was giddy with self satisfaction hearing his pleasured breath when she nibbled on her favorite spot on his neck. He was so quiet, that she had sought many times to break the staunch reservedness that he held in that manner.

Without breaking his hold he managed to rid her of the robe. Knowing that it was the last time that they would be together for a time he could not escape the feeling of anxiety of leaving her amongst so many demons. He had kept the other males from stealing her by adequately leaving his scent on her, but even then after a few days of absence, the scent would wash off. He had been disturbed when the demon had mistaken Kagome for his whore. He had done what an honorable man would have done and married the woman. What else was he supposed to do? These thoughts continued to invade his mind until he felt her soft lips caress his collarbone and suck gently at the junction of his neck. Pleasure tingled through him and he could not stop the content growl that tore from his lips. Gripping her tightly he picked her up.

" Hold on to me." he growled she was lifted into his arms and locked her legs firmly around him. He entered her unable to resist the temptation of her offering. Panting with the rush of adrenaline that rushed through his body, he was at the edge of pure raw aggression hearing the sounds of her ecstasy. The scent of her essence surrounding him was something that he could never tire of, he craved her , could not exist knowing that she was unsafe or in danger of being taken by another. The thought drove him to madness, and her cries increased in volume at his added passion. She was holding on to him, her nose buried in his silver hair, and she was biting down on his shoulder, her blunt teeth, didn't even faze him when his vision turned red and he came to completion. It was a moment before he came back to himself, she was still gripped tightly against him her skin glistened with perspiration. Her labored breaths puffed against his pointed ear.

In the courtyard the old demon was clamping his hands over his ears, disgusted and nearly wrenching with the scents and smells of the young demons raging hormones. He was nearly being burned by the intensity of spiritual energy and watched as the flying and crawling demons fled the palace in order not to be purified. He wondered how the inuyoukai could join with such a woman, but he could not forget the raw possession and anger in the pups eyes when he had called her a courtesan. She was obviously his mate, though he had yet to mark her. There was so much neglect to the teachings of this demon, he wondered where that father of his had gone to. Touganoumaru had been about Sesshomarus' age when the curse had taken affect. He should have taken the time to train his son.

The old demon reveled in the lack of teaching and tried to drown the sound of their fevered breaths from his sensitive ears.

Rin awoke with a scream. She launched out of bed and could not hold back the sobs that wracked her body. She had been trapped in the building while it burned. This was unlike the last dreams. The woman had walked to the window and called her name. Rin had tried to grab a hold of her hoping that she would be saved from the flames. But, the moment her hands connected with the woman's she was transported to a castle she did not recognize she saw the woman again walking down a hallway. And hurried after her. The woman held a dagger in her hands and walked determined down the hall. Following closely Rin entered a strange chamber. Next to her she saw a black haired boy who entered behind her. Turning she recognized him as the boy from her usual dream.

He grabbed a hold of her shoulders and turned her to see the scene that played out before her. The woman was standing before this mirror that swirled a blue white energy that tugged at rins conscientious.

The woman drew her blade and sliced the air across the mirror and a tear that widened to a large swirling portal. There was some one trapped inside. His greyed hair was covering his eyes. He was bound, strapped by tendrils of energy wrapped around his body. The woman strode to him and Rin could see the similarities between the two people.

" Brother, It is time." she whispered and stabbed the man through the heart. He was ragged, long black hair that looked like it hadn't ever been cut. His beard was ebony down to his belt but he smiled at her even when the knife sliced his chest.

" Sister, this is far from over." he laughed as the knife was repelled from his chest and was thrown across the room.

Rin gasped ducking the hilt of the knife, which hit the wall beside her head. The boy grabbed her and dropped to the ground on top of her. Rin fought hard trying to free herself not knowing who this person was to her.

"Rin?" he said, whispering to her., calming her instantly " ...are you real. Its time" he held her tightly as the room around them melted away to darkness. She froze hearing his voice turning she saw his face for the first time.

Her dream shattered then. She fell back to reality and came awake in her own bed. Rin was gasping and crying her dream ad never gone that far before. Tangu was asleep on his perch and did not notice as she slipped from her bed and slipped on her slippers. Rin left her room and went down the hall, the whole palace was silent as far as she could tell. She had a nagging feeling that she need ed to leave. Walking to the front exit she did not have a plan she just needed to go. Taking the first step out of the life that she had held on to so tightly. Rin walked out of the palace gate.

"Please don't stop me." Souta begged as he shoved cloths into the pouch on his bed. His mother was weeping, but his father came in and crossed his arms frowning at her. The ogre commanded attention and they stopped to consider him carefully.

"Azura, he must go, its time." Souta smiled at his father. The boy tied the straps of his bag and put his knife in his belt securing it tightly to his side. Souta walked out of his child hood home and set out of the capital. He had seen her. She was the one that he had dreamed about killing his whole life. And then there was Rin, she was there. Souta looked up at the moonlight that lit his path and smiled hope filled his heart and he hoped that wherever Rin had ended up, that she was happy. He thought about her age, she had just been three years younger then he was, he smiled thinking that she must resemble their mother by now.

Souta found himself on the main road, a well traveled to the next largest village. It was a three week journey on foot to the capital, he had no money and only the things he had brought in his bag as well as his knife. He saw the demons bustling around in the bushes and trees on either side of the path. But they made no attempt to approach or harass him. He saw a light in the distance and paused in the distance was a band of humans unsure, he allowed them to approach. They were restless travelers that did not spare him a second glance. They hurried past him intent on not causing any trouble, Souta could not help but smile thinking of the demons that lurked just inside the treeline. He shook his head and walked on.

Souta tread on with good spirits until the sun was high in the skies. Setting down his things by a stream, he sat beneath a tree and took some time to doze off. The next town, by his map was another half days journey. He reached into his pouch and drew out some of the dried meat that his mother had given him for his travels. Souta sighed, knowing that it was something that his mother had been dreading. He did not know exactly what had compelled him to step out that moment, but everything in him compelled him to go. He had to fulfill his fathers last wishes, and see that the woman responsible for the destruction of their whole family, was destroyed. He closed his eyes to the pain that her memory caused. Souta ran his fingers through his thick black hair and turned on his side. He felt the pinch of a bug on his neck and slapped it away.

"So sorry, master," a small voice squeaked as Souta sat up to inspect the large flea that he had felt.

"Oh hello flea, if you don't mind, go suck someone else blood." he said and turned back over.

" Master, I have found you, do you know how long I have been searching for you? Your whole life, since your father died. He told me, not to let any thing happen to you kids. or your mother." the flea said.

" Really? It seems like you failed, _old man_, now if you wouldn't mind letting me get back to sleep, I could really use it." Souta said and again tried to turn over.

" Souta, your dream was different last night, wasn't it?" the flea jumped onto his shoulder and tugged on one of his long black hairs. Souta waved his hand at the flea and growled unconvincingly.

"What do you want I'm already going to the capital!" he shouted angrily.

"And what do you plan to do once you've gotten there? Do you honestly think that the acting emperor is going to allow you to take the place he worked for?" the fleas four arms crossed and he took a seat on his arm. " I Myoga, will guide you, I have been to the capital many times, the woman that you seek is there, but she is well guarded and powerful herself. You will not be able to defeat her on your own."

" Oh you got all this planned out, Did you?" Souta asked sceptically. " ...and what is it that _you_ want out of all of this."

" My boy, I am a good friend of your grandfathers, he has powerful blood, very tasty. We have spoken many times about what must be done in order to end this."

Rin sang as she skipped, the road was empty other then the soft sounds of her tones. She resonated through the forest and demons of lesser stature danced around her feet as she walked. The flowers and seedlings twirled on their leaf legs and praised her voice by joining in with a soft eery keen that harmonized with her syncopation.

She was content. She felt safe with the demons so close to her. They made her feel comforted, protected. She did not understand how people could think such creatures were terrifying. Each one, brought her new joys and interests learning about them. Mainly she had discovered that demons, even human looking ones were prone to scaring humans for fun, and using their energy to assert dominance. The plant creatures around her showed little aggression, she found them sweet, with an uncanny ability to predict the weather and tell when the sun was going to go down. When they spoke it was like the whispering of the wind, or a tinkling of bells, and she loved it all.

" Hello, what a strange girl." a red haired and eyed male stepped from behind the trees. She paused to look at him but she did not fear though his intention wasnt good, she simply wished to befriend him, she liked his red cat ears that twitched like inuyashas'.

" Am I strange, sir?" she asked.

" Sir? How formal, it is I who should be calling you by a title. You stink like that dog lord... you are coming from that direction. I hear, that he takes human whores... so how is he, miss..." she frowned and shook her head embarased "what your telling me that that stupid mutt had never had you?" he flashed a fang and took a deep breath. " there _is_ something off about you, more then that dogs stench... they don't usually have human companions they'd rather eat them for dinner, unlike me" he leered at her trying to scare her.

Rin was not afraid, she frowned at the cat demon for the insults to lord Sesshomaru. " you hold your tongue! Lord Sesshomaru is a good man, don't you dare talk about him like that." she snapped. The cats hand shot into his mouth and his clawed fingers grasped his tongue. He tried to rip his hand away but found himself putting it right back in his mouth. Rin began to laugh. He squirmed caught in her words and was driven to hysteria trying desperately to unfasten his hand from his tongue, until he was a drooling mass.

" Iz sloorwy" he begged.

" You, be a good kitty, there is no reason you should be so mean to people, didn't your mother teach you better then that?" Rin lectured imitating her lord. The cat nodded desperately. " let go kitty." she smiled he ripped his hand away from his tongue and bowed.

" You are the chosen one." he bowed. " no other human has had the power to control such as he did. I am Youki please allow me to be your humble servant. I scented you many miles away and have been tracking you, forgive me, empress." he said to the ground. Rin cocked her head at him and giggled.

" I don't know what your talking about, but I'm looking for my brother." she smiled to herself.

" If I may be so bold? What could you be looking for? Don't you know the gift that you posses." Youki stammered. Rin patted his head.

" Please stand up. I have no desire for power, I just want to find my brother, and create a family with everyone that I love, together." she said, the cat demon grinned and nodded.

" For you, I will swim a thousand miles." he vowed. Rin accepted his offer to be her companion and they traveled in contentment. He traveled just behind her, she suspected that he had taken to protecting her, he really seemed to believe that she was some kind of leader. He was wrong though, she knew that if there was a chance that her older brother was still alive that it would be him, that takes up their families titles. She had no real desire for it anyway. But, the dream, it had nagged at her since she had awoken that morning. It was near noontime and she stopped to rest her feet. Youki scented the air and his hackles raised. Hissing he leapt in front of her.

" Rin" Sesshomarus' voice was angry as he stopped in the clearing before them. " why have you left home without word." he barked angry but relieved at the same time. He had been sufficiently distracted that night and had not noticed her disappearance until mid morning when her bird had flown hysterically around his head saying that she was gone. He had been worried. Looking at her now he saw that she was unharmed, turning his eyes on the stranger he growled as the foul stench of cat infiltrated his nostrils.

" Lord Sesshomaru, please don't stop me, I am looking for my brother. I know that he is alive and I must find him. I have to know what happened, I have to see him again." she plead bowing low. She felt the worry in her heart that he would fight her, make her stay, though she knew that she could order him, she had never tread past such a respect boundary in her life.

"Look at me Rin." Sesshomaru beckoned her to stand. She nodded and stood before him. " I have watched you since you were a small child. You are under my protection and I never want to worry as I have this morning about you." he said taking her by the shoulders. Rin felt chastised and color flooded her cheeks, shamed.

" Forgive me-" she began

" shh, Rin I will allow you to go, I cannot go with you, I have to settle some matters that have arisen. Matters of dire importance to the leadership for the next years."

" I know this, that is why I set out, I have to find him my lord." she said. Sesshomaru put his finger over her lips silencing her.

" I will call Inuyasha to accompany you," the cat demon did a double take. " you know him?" Sesshomaru turned his attention to the nekoyoukai, he detested them, but this one had tried to protect Rin, even if it was laughable that he thought he could stand up to him.

" yeah I fought that bastard a week ago about a days journey south. My Lord" he grumbled and cocked his head sniffing. " you do kind of look alike, but you, your a full demon, what a blemish that a pure inuyoukai should be tainted with a half breed as a brother." the cat shook his head.

" Enough, if you know where he is then I trust you will take her to him with my orders clear. I will be only a days journey away, if I should suspect that you have disobeyed my law then I will execute you as a traitor of the western lands."

"I was already planning on staying with the kid, she kind of grows on you don't you think?" the cat continued to bait him even under threat of death, kami, he hated cats.

" Rin... be safe." he started unsure about saying good bye, he did not have the power to overcome her will to venture on, she had asked him not to stop her, he was powerless, though all he wanted was to lock her away in a tower surrounded by a fire elemental demon.

" My lord, I will call you if I need you. I promise." she vowed and rushed forward to embrace his middle. He stared down at the top of her black hair and brought his hands to her shoulders pressing her closer and returning her affection. He let her go feeling an uncomfortable knot in his stomach.

" I will always come." he said making it true in his heart. His very essence waited to take up and follow her, but with the stresses that he was faced with he still had so much to deal with. " what is your name, cat."

" Its Youki, I am a member of the mountain cat tribe from the north." he said proudly. Sesshomaru nodded half interested and smirked thinking it ironic that he was in this position.

" Tell me... Youki did you learn your lesson about bad mouthing this one..." he asked

" What do you mean."

" This one has friends with much power, remember that." he said turning his back and showing the cat that he found him to be no threat. The cat picked up on this and huffed insulted but did not cease the opportunity to attack.

He had seen the whole thing from a distance and had found the scene rather amusing.

" Good bye, my lord." she smiled.

Sesshoamru watched then walk away and listened to the sounds of their vitals long after the sight of them had vanished. Sighing, he was not ready to let Rin go. She was still a child in many ways, but she had proven to him, demanded of him that he look at her differently. She was becoming a women, Kagome was just five years older then her when he had taken her as his bride. He shuddered to think of having to allow Rin to marry. He shook the thought from his mind and lept into the air toward his home.

In just a few bounds he was landing on his front walk way leading into his home. The old man was there waiting for him. Kagome was packed and ready to leave.

" Sesshomaru, Sakake has just informed me that the shrine of Morderiko was a half a days journey on foot from the place you will be at. Isn't that exciting!" she giggled and threw herself into his arms giddy. He narrowed his eyes at the old man... he would pay for this.


	4. Chapter 4

Kagome was happy riding on Sesshomarus' back as he bounded through the air. The old man was riding atop the two headed dragon, he had insisted that it was good for a dog demon to learn how to harness the magnificent speed that they were capable of. Kagome held on tightly, a human male would have passed out from the lack of oxygen, but he was unfazed running through the air so fast she felt like they were flying.

It was a day journey to the mountain of the inu tribe, even with demonic speed they traveled non stop until they got there. They stopped at the foothills close to the closest village, that was where the shrine was, this one was located at the edge of a farming village. Kagome was asleep when they stopped for the night. Sesshomaru carried her to a large tree and sat at the base of it with her cradled in his arms. The old man sat across from him content, but not asleep. Sniffing the air he did not sense any demons close enough to be a threat, aside from the spirits lingering in the forest, finding it safe enough there, he closed his eyes and settled his nose in her hair above her ear.

" You would sleep on the forest floor?" Sakake questioned him. Sesshomaru did not open his eyes to acknowledge the old man. He was storing up patience so that he could deal with an entire pack of Inu as annoying as the old man. Sesshomaru tried to push the thoughts of his coming trial out of his mind, to find any semblance of peace. He had been sure that he could handle it, the thought that he might not be good enough for the job had never even crossed his mind. He had never been fazed by the demonic energy of another demon in three years of being in this form, feeling the pure intimidation that had caused Kagome, to pass out with the intensity of his power, he could tell that this was not the norm, he smelled of centuries worth of concentration and control. In comparison he knew that he was as trained as a pup, and still so unsure of his own strength.

The night passed with a still flurry of night time noises, Sesshomarus' nose picked up the scents of animals dwelling in the forest, they tread carefully, very aware of the two demons in their midst. A mouse scurried between them and he watched it look from him to Sakake and run diving behind a bush and fleeing into the night. Bigger game like deer and larger raccoons stayed far away from them. Through all of it he was aware and alert to all that was in the forest with them. Kagome slept trustingly against him and did not stir but to shift to seek warmth when the breeze picked up. Through all the night he did not sleep at all, he didn't normally, but he would stay with Kagome during such a vulnerable state. Seldom would he allow her to be out side of the shrines, and out of his protection. He was satisfied that the shrine was close enough to the place where he would reside, he suspected that that was the old mans plan, he knew that he should be grateful to the old demon, but the subtle looks of disappointment that he kept giving his seemed to outweigh the relief he was getting.

Kagome woke in the morning with her nose buried in Sesshomarus' neck. He smelled of forest and demonic energy, two things that she loved. Kissing him soundly where she found herself nestled. she felt aroused by his proximity and the closeness of being wrapped in his arms all night. Forgetting about the old man momentarily she continued a trail down his shoulder where she nibbled his ivory skin not too gently.

Sakake coughed, wrinkling his nose. " ah-hem, we should be going." he grumbled.

Kagome blushed knowingly, she had asked Sesshomaru if other demons could smell as well as he could, he had shrugged and avoided answering her, she was not sure if he even knew the answer. now it was apparent that they, in fact did, at leats dog demons. She leaned back and stood uncomfortable. She excused herself and found a stream that they had passed. She disrobed and cleaned herself in the stream, scrubbing she washed her face and hair, excited to be going to a shrine to study more. she was just glad that they had settled on the matter instead of arguing about it for several more days.

The shrine was the oldest shrine she had seen, the shrine its self, was atop a high hill side covered in the thick forest, the stairs leading up to the retaining wall was covered by limbs, reaching to the sky all around them, the ceiling of leaves was so thick that the sunlight was dappled on their skin. When they got to the gate Kagome stopped him and touched the spiritual barrier that was place to ward off demons. Sniffing it, Sesshomaru found the damage minimal and passed through it without flinching. Kagome passed through after him, he shrugged off her attempt to heal him and were greeted by the sight of tended gardens and buildings of worship and learning. She didn't see and men as she walked into the grounds, there were maidens in red and white hakima everywhere, they worked and played and were scolded by their overseers, older priestesses and priests in white and red robes. They all stopped when they saw her though. She was following Sesshomaru through the grounds and they attracted a crowd of onlookers and whisperers.

They stood terrified of the inu youkai in there midst. They ascended the stairs to the head priestesses dwelling, and they entered calmly. A wizened old woman greeted them with tea. " I have to say, that I have been expecting you, but not _you_, demon." she smiled at Kagome while rebuking Sesshomaru. " What business do you have here?"

"This woman, is my wife, and is under _my_ protection. I have decimated four shrines, because of her treatment, I will not hesitate to destroy this one too. I have come, in order to give you a choice and not leave it to the whim of your staff and their treatment of her." he informed the woman

She furrowed her brow. "That is not how its supposed to happen..." she said and looked between them. " You, are married? To an inu demon?" she said. " you posses you spiritual powers even after joining with such a creature?"she asked curiously, she sensed something about the girl that was familiar to her, like remembering a scent or scene from her childhood.

"Tell me dog demon, are you from the west?" she asked cryptically, she had heard the rumors of a young inu demon lord that had recently come into his power, he nodded once confirming it to her. She sipped her tea like she was trying to swallow something much bigger, he possessed the markings of the inu clan that was allied with their shrine, they dealt with them often, since the fall of the last empire, the two peoples had been contracted by the emperor and did not part ways after his death. They had found the clan to be quieter and more respectful then most demon peoples. " I will take this woman to be an apprentice of mine, she will not be abused while she is here, you can wager my life on it, demon. Kagome, I want you to tell no one, that you are indeed, married to _this_ demon. There are still those who will not understand and seek to harm you." she said sadly

"Why are you so accepting, if you don't mind me asking." kagome asked respectfully but the need to know the answer was clear in her eyes.

the woman smiled. " I fell in love with a demon, once, a long time agol..." she blushed and checked Sesshomaru out quickly, he tried not to roll his eyes and Kagome giggled. She was going to like it here, the old woman was a darling, and she could tell that things would be different here. She felt her heart warm, hoping her dream was going to come true.

Sesshomaru did not leave her automatically, he lingered on the edge of the grounds staring at her while she was given a tour of the buildings and grounds.

" Its time, Sesshomaru, we must be going up onto the mountain, she is waiting for you there." Sesshomaru turned to look at the old dog demon, he had changed, not in appearance, but in manner and attitude, Sesshomaru nodded and followed the man down the road to the edge of the cliff side. Looking up the dog jumped, landing gracefully 30 feet above him on the cliffs ledge. He walked on expecting Sesshomaru to follow. He found the challenge to be simple and jumped up himself. The mountain was muted of any demonic energy. He was sure that the old man had said that it was a tribe of inu, but he could smell none of them close by. They walked to a stream and the old man actually started to disrobe there in front of him.

" You stink like humans. All that spiritual power lingering on you, burns my nose, your grand mother wont find it pleasing either." he said coldly. Sesshomaru growled, he was notorious for keeping himself immaculately clean and the only smell on him besides his own was Kagome, and Rin, he though about his ward traveling with his brother, and it did not please him, still. But the determination in her eyes had told him that it was time to let her go her own path, for a while. He walked away from the old man and washed down the stream away from any potential viewing. He washed the smells of his family him until none but his own lingered on his already clean skin. His hair was the only thing that remained unwashed, with the amount that fell to his thighs it would take all day to dry. The faint smell of the kiss she had given him that morning still lingered on him, he kept it, rebelling from the old mans ranting. Sakake looked at him and sniffed, he sighed.

Hidden between two peaks Sesshomaru was greeted with the scents of many demons of varying ages and power levels. He noticed that a great many of them were kin, by blood. The old dog lead him through the village, it was filled with white and gray dog demons, marked with stripes ranging from indigo to magenta, each of them possessed markings of some king but none of them shared more then one color on their bodies. He watched as people sniffed curiously at him and looked at his facial markings. He kept his eyes forward not caring about anyone else. They approached a tent covered with firs and the old dog actually got on his knees to hail the owner of it.

"Come in already, I have been waiting long enough." a woman's' voice snapped shrewdly. Sesshomaru entered the tent before the man could get off his knees. The inside of the ten as a lot bigger then the outside seemed. It was scarcely furnished with carpets and rugs lining the floor creating a cozy haven for the white haired dog demoness who sat in the middle of the tent with her arms crossed. On her fore head was the same crescent that sat between his brows. It was a sapphire blue in color, the rest of her markings laced down the side of her face in an intricate crescent and stripe pattern.

" Boy, what is your name." she questioned him, raising her silver brows almost to neat bangs.

" I, Sesshomaru, am the current and acting lord of the western lands." he said confidently. The old woman smirked.

" I see, Sesshomaru, then you understand that there is much work to be done in your training." she said honestly, He nodded. " You could start by muting your demonic energy, you will keep the whole tribe up, with how restless you are." she said pointing out the extreme aura that was emanating from him

" I do not understand, how that is done." he said honestly. She stood from her seat and laid her hand on his shoulder.

The woman nodded, " allow my own calm, to overtake you, you will suppress your demonic energy with concentration, we demons are creatures of our energy... it gives us life and power, we also use it to fight battles of fear and for marking territory. Since your doing none of those things right now, it will conserve your energy to shield it." as she spoke, Sesshomaru felt like his energy was transferring to his other senses. He smelled and saw the swirling vapors of his aura shrink into his body until it was concealed within himself. Closing his eyes he felt a sense of calm overtake him like he had never experienced before. He had noticed that the village was muted of demonic energy and he and the demons he had been exposed to had never hidden their energy for any reason, lest they be killed for being weak.

"You may be thinking, pup, that not a lot of demons take the time to shield their demonic energy, but we are different, you are a demon Lord, a Tiyoukai, we are superior in every way to both demons and humans." she said when his energy had been sufficiently muted. She sniffed and wrinkled her nose. " you smell like a priestess, what kind of trouble have you been getting into." she asked

" Hn" was all he replied. He felt strange like there was silence where there used to be a constant rustling of energy. He looked at her. " how do I release it once more." he asked she smiled

"Ever eager I see, good. Just will it to be so,it is the same as shielding your energy, you must concentrate, but it is nothing that you could not naturally do." she explained.

Rin was exhausted treading down the dirt road to the village, Youki had offered to carry her but she was terribly shy and did not want to become a burden. She sat on a fallen log , able to see the villagers that were coming and going from the village. It was an hours walk at the most, but she did not know if she could walk for another hour.

"Rin, it is okay to rest, he will be here shortly." Youki said sweeping his red hair out of his face.

"How do you know?" she asked looking at him, one of his cat ears twitched in her direction and he wrinkled his nose, Youki turned out to be a quiet companion, he was mild mannered and has provided her with food each day of their travel, but little conversation.

"Dogs stink, I can smell him from here. There's no chance he will miss my scent here, with yours." he looked at her, turning his strange eyes on her, very much like her favorite tabby cat in the village. Rin smiled at the similarity, squinted in the distance and saw a tiny red speck in the distance. It was leaping and becoming larger with each bound. She stood up grinning and waving her arm excitedly.

"Blades of blood!" Inuyasha yelled and crashed onto the road, landing ahead of them, he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder and proceed to launch more crimson blades at the feline male, who was stepping out of the way with something a kin to a smile on his face. Youkis' smile only succeeded to aggravate the dog more and caused him to growl angrily as he launched a fist at Youkis' head.

"Hello Inuyasha,is this how you greet a new ally?" Youki grinned stepping aside, and grabbed Inuyasha by the sleeve and tossed him into a tree. Inuyasha let go of Rin before colliding with the tree and spun in the air to launch himself off the tree as a spring bored. He punched Youki in the face and knocked him to the ground, yelling in triumph as he went sliding backwards, Youki wiped the blood from his lip and stood.

"Bastard. You cats can all kiss my ass!" he spat kicking at him Youki caught his foot and put him in a toe lock, he howled and punched at him taking him down and landing on top of him. He sat up and Rin came over hurriedly and pulled Inuyashas' hair to get his attention.

"Lord Inuyasha, Youki is my friend, lord Sesshomaru asked him to travel with me until we could meet up with you." she said brushing dirt off of Inuyashas' robes. He shook her off and raised an eyebrow.

" What do you want kid, as you can tell, I'm not the most popular guy right now." he huffed bitterly. Rin smiled.

" Oh, lord Sesshomaru said that he would allow no one else to accompany me, on my mission." she bowed. Inuyasha smiled crookedly and patted her head waiting for her to continue. " I have to find my brother, I have to be reunited with him now that I remember who he is" she said seriously.

" Rin?... you have a brother? I didn't think you had any family left." Inuyasha said insensitively. She tried to hide the subtle hurt in her heart for the memory, but she knew that he too understood loss _and_ rejection as a half demon. Pushing her feelings aside Rin stood her ground, completely serious that he accompany her.

"Inuyasha, I know that you understand why I have to find him. It may be dangerous, and I will not order you to come, but it would be my honor to have you with us on our journey." she said determined. She looked at him pleadingly.

" Us? Like the fur-ball-hacking cat is coming too?" he said a little surprised. Youki hissed and Inuyashas' ears stood at attention ready for a fight. Rin sighed, she could feel the animosity like it was an actual tether between them. She needed both, she could feel the coming storm of trials. The moment that she remembered her brother, she knew that she had to go to him, needed to.

" Youki is my friend, also and he has sworn to me that he will protect me." Rin explained. Inuyasha was indignant and raised his eyebrow at Youki.

" He, he's going play faithful protector is he? sounds like a pet to me. That's fine, cat. Let the real man lead. So where is that brother of yours?" he snickered

" I don't know." she shook her head shrugging.

Souta was walking through the dusty road, he was two days from home and Myoga had not left his shoulder since he had greeted him a day earlier in the forest. Souta felt his stomach rumble, and he looked around to see nothing and no one on the road. He sighed.

" Master Souta, is that your stomach or a demon..." Myoga asked.

" Aren't you a demon, cant you sense them or something." Souta said bitterly

"Aye... I can... often I'm am caught unaware and have to flee." he snickered, Souta rolled his eyes. He squinted and saw a small village in the distance over the next hill. He jumped up excitedly and picked up the pace with a new energy. He was passed through the outer wall with little attention, with so much foot traffic going to and from the shops and dwellings within the village they paid little mind to a single teenage boy. He looked around curiously, it had been a few years since he had dwelt among humans and he was a little ill at ease. He waited for some one to great him or sniff in his direction to scent him out, but people only milled around blind deaf and dumb to his presence at all. He realized that that was probably how he was perceived as by his demon companions and tried to breath when he bumped into a man who glared at him angrily.

"Move brat." he grouched and passe him. Souta danced out of the way of another passer by and sighed relieved when he could finally breath.

" Whoa there young man, you almost got ran over there." a woman smiled, he turned and blushed seeing a beautiful demon hunter in black leather armor. She had her hair tied back in a warrior tail.

"What have you found here Songo, he seems smitten, your too late boy, she is mine." a man in priests robe walked up and placed is hand on her butt. She elbowed him.

" Excuse me sir, are you a priest?" Souta gaped.

" Yes its in the blood, I belong to a family that has devoted ourselves to tracking and protecting humans from demons. My name is Miroku, and this, sweet Summer blossom, is Songo, demon slayer." he introduced. Souta bowed respectfully to them. His stomach growled loudly and he blushed embarrassed.

" Excused me." he apologized.

" Here, there's no need for you to go hungry, your an orphan arent you?" songo asked, souta looked at her shocked.

" how do you know, that I am alone here?" he asked. She picked at the dirty tunic that he had worn since leaving his home, he shook her off and brushed his cloths indignantly " I am old enough to travel alone!" he snapped angrily, but regretted it when his stomach growled again.

"tell you what, we could use a cook, do you know how to cook boy?" Miroku offered. " you could travel with us to the capital if that is where you are going."

" Do you mean it?" Souta asked shocked. Songo nodded

" Yeah you look like a nice kid, we don't have anything to steal so I wont worry about that, and... you remind me of my little brother, I left him back home and I miss him so much, he and you are about the same age." Songo smiled and patted him on the head.

" I am going to the capital, I am regretfully an awful cook, perhaps I may be able to hunt for you instead. I have made a living on trapping." he said hoping, Miroku smiled crookedly.

"We may be able to arrange something." he smiled.

By night fall Souta was disillusioned by the monks act of purity. He had watched they man draw up some sutras and convince an innkeeper that their dwelling was being possessed by an angry spirit bent on sucking the souls out of humans. The innkeeper had agreed that he would allow him to stay the night in exchange for exorcizing the spirit. With a puff of well timed energy he was able to convince the innkeeper to pay them and give them a room for the night. Souta slept against a wall sitting up against a wall. Miroku sat on the other wall, and he seemed distant as though he were watching for something in the night. Souta looked at him silently.

" do not worry Souta, there are no demons near by, of any significance at least, near by." Miroku tried to comfort him Souta cracked a smile.

" I do not fear demons." he said quietly.

" then you are either very brave or foolish. Demons are not like humans, they will kill you because they are stronger, not all demons are this way, but not most are." he crossed his arms. Souta noticed a look in Mirokus' eyes that made him question the monk. Aside from the staff that he held the monk carried no weapons, he wondered how such a man could talk so, about demons.

" enough talk about work, we have to move on tomorrow, so get some sleep. The both of you." Songo said turning over and pulling the kimono tighter around her shoulders. Souta closed his eyes and tried to drown out the world.

Rin tried to sleep, she was curled to Inuyashas' side and restless, partially because he had insisted that they sleep high I the trees away from the ground. He had said that it was to keep away from predators. She had tried to convince him that they would be okay, but Inuyasha seemed to be immune from her power of command. He did as he wished and carried her high into the tree and created a thatch bed out of branches and vines. He told her that it was sturdy, and she wanted to believe him, but it was so high off the ground.

"Go to sleep girl. It'll be a rough day of traveling. We can start by that place that Sesshomaru found you, do you remember where that was."he grumbled.

Rin thought hard about that. "it was near the waterfall, seven days journey east of the palace." she recalled. Inuyasha nodded.

"We could be there tomorrow if you let me carry you." he said. She glanced up at him unsure. She had traveled with Sesshomaru few times, and had found the experience to be nauseating. Inuyasha was not sleeping, she knew that demons did not sleep as often as human did, but Inuyasha was a half demon and it was something that she could not understand. Demons worked on demonic energy, they lived as demons with out the feelings of humans. Human were ignorant of the different senses that allowed demons the mysterious foresight that made them so dangerous. Half demons were a creature to themselves though, she could not command them, and they did not understand the ways of demons as much as humans feared their superior powers. They just didn't seem to belong.

"I trust you to get me there." she said honestly. He huffed and turned his face away.

The morning came too early for every one, Rin was shaken awake with an alarmed tweeting in her face. " Rin! I have finally caught up with you. How could you make me worry so much" Tangu said hopping from person to person, Inuyasha waved his hand at the bird and slapped him to the tree trunk, flattening him.

" Tiki san?" Rin rubbed her eyes. Inuyasha stretched and stood on the branch, Rin sat up.

" Yes, I've been searching for you, do you know that your traveling with a neko-"

" hmmm a snack." Youki purred reaching his claws out to bat at Tangu. Tangu dodged out of the way and flitted to the top branched far out of his reach.

"Youki, that crow demon is my friend, his name is Tiki-san." she wagged her finger at him.

" You quit your yapping, its time to go." Inuyasha ordered, grabbing Rin and hopping down from the tree. She shrieked as he landed and his ears flattened to his head. " hey, your shrieking hurts my ears, girl. Unless you want to walk, you better stop that." he said she reached her hand out to Tangu and he flew to her shoulder and nestled on her shoulder hanging on to Inuyashas' hair for good measure. " can you keep up, _cat_." Inuyasha smirked and took off with the intent to leave Youki behind.

" Yeah, can you?" Youki said passing him and sticking out his tongue, he hated cats.


	5. Chapter 5

Kagome laid on her futon, listening to the sound of twelve other women in the chamber sleeping all around the room. She rolled over, It was nearly morning and they were going to be working in the shrine the next studying and scribing new copies of legend lore. They were being taught to read and write and perform prayer and cleansing ceremonies. She was starting to become used to the girls that she worked with, though she was not accepted, showing up with a demon had made an impression on the woman and she was slowly starting to become one of them. The overseers were happy with her and she worked hard with the intention to learn as much as she could.

"Up! get up girls time to start the day." the head priestess hollered through the room, she sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes. Getting to her feet, she gathered her futon and blankets and moved them to her closet. She bumped into a woman to her right and apologized sleepily. The girl flinched away.

"Its time ladies that we should hear the tale of lady Morderiko. She was the first priestess to ever create a covenant with a demon tribe. Her older brother was of noble birth and he had power in excess, allowing her to study the ways of demonic magic, Morderiko was intrigued by their mystery and power, it is said that she even followed a demon to the realm of Hades and back for the sake of their youngest sister, who was eaten alive by a centipede demon. But she was not the same after this, Morderiko watched as her beloved sister turned to darkness. As Morderiko grew in power and influence among the people, man and demon, she discovered a plot to take the realm of demons and combine it with the world of man. Seeing this to be the destruction f the balance, Morderiko uncovered her beloved younger sister to be behind the power struggle. Accompanied by the power of her brothers command and her knowledge of demonic and spiritual power they managed to destroy their sisters plans and drive her out of the country.

For years, she stayed away, this was the time of prosperity in the land, but her wrath was on them and she never ceased to plan and plot for her ultimate reward. Her vengeance on demons, was the power to control and destroy them at will. Morderiko and her brother the Emperor solidified their contract with the white inu tribe, and three other tribes to watch over the regions of the land at our sister temples, and called them to be their guardians. This is why the inu reside at the foot hills of the mountain, that shades our beloved temple.

When the war broke out, she came back with the power that she had stolen from the mainland demons, and rose in power amongst the dark evils in the humans and demons, making factions for her ultimate plans to unfold. Having gathered her army, war broke out at the capital, which would be just one of many wars in these times. She lead an army into the palace and executed all in their path. Slaying Morderikos' oldest daughter and wounding the youngest of her grand daughters. The emperor hid his son in the hidden passage in the study behind his chamber, this is how a new hope was revived in the future of our lands.

With the intention to absorb their powers she found them Morderiko stepped forward and gave her life to protect her brother. She was slain there on the stairs of her child hood home with her death the three pieces of their unified power was lost, and so with it her ultimate reward., because Morderikos' power was gone with her death, she was unable to balance the demonic energy within her own body. The emperor was lost to us and she and her army took possession of our lands." the head priestess was looking her in the eyes as she paused.

"It was after when the two tribes of the east and south, formed an army to revolt against her power, they were executed where they entered the gates to the city, and It was there that they made the pact to protect us, the, the servants of Morderiko, as to weather there are any remaining heirs of the emperor or our lady priestess, it was never told. what happened to the children of these two legends. Perhaps they are dead, and perhaps there is one among us. Only the ones with the power can truly rule over both human and demon." she finished.

The woman sat around dazed by the exciting tale. Kagome was reeling They were hurried into the studies of that time period. She learned about the wars and the healing magic that was developed during that time. They copied maps and sutra, learning how they repelled and protected.

By noon they were out in the fields tilling the ground to be planted. She worked quickly glad to be doing something she loved. The gardens were beautiful, but she was sure that she could add a little love and make it more beautiful. The bell was chimed and the girls stood stretching their back and walking to the shrine. The priestess, was standing st the top of the stares looking into a small shrine made for Morderiko," she got their attention and bowed speaking aloud a prayer for hope and guidance through their lives. They all bowed in assent and Kagome could feel the strange sensation of her energy being pricked by the alter. Te priestess dismissed them for two hours of free time before the evening meal.

She gazed at the shrine and approached " Ahh, Kagome, what is on your mind girl." she asked "You must still prepare for the ceremony tonight."

" Yes I am looking forward to it, I would like to use this opportunity to work as hard as I can to control my power"

"We will see what the kami have in store for you."

"I am worried, the smoke has always evaded me, and I have been placed in apprentices ship, I hope that this time will be different." Kagome worried aloud. The priestess nodded understanding and remembering her own ceremony."

"All will go according to plan." she sighed and made a gesture of worship to help it to come true. Kagome smiled gratefully and placed her hand on the older womans' shoulder.

"I should be getting ready, you are right. Thank you"

The sun was already setting when Kagome emerged from the bath house. She had undergone the cleansing rituals and had scrubbed her skin almost raw, to clean herself. The white robed hung loosely around her shoulders and brushed her legs as she stepped into the dark room. Many of the other priestesses were there waiting bowed in solemn prayer. Incense burned through out the smoky room. Kagome felt her head begin to spin from the herb used in the ceremony, it always left her feeling slightly ill.

"Come forward, Kagome." the old woman stared at her from in front of the alter. There was a fire burning in the center of the room surrounded by torches linked with sacred chord and sutras to ward off any demons. She took a breath and stepped through the barrier, the sensation always tingled slightly causing goose bumps to rise on her arms. Kagome knelt and bowed to the alter and then to the head priestess, she inclined her head and gestured for her to stand and sit before the burning fire. Kagome crossed her legs and withdrew her sacred beads and began to recite the sacred hymn. The surrounding priestesses bowed their heads in prayer also holding their beads within the grasp of their hands.

" You are to be tested, Kagome, weather the kami will accept you among our ranks, to fight against the darkness terrorizing this realm, also, to where you will rank,_ if_ they find you fit to study with us at this time." she stood above her in judgment, Kagome nodded understanding that she may be turned away from the shrine, or given a low position among them as she had before. " Rise and gaze into the fire."

Kagome concentrated, she felt the power emanating just under the surface of her skin. It was a familiar sensation causing her heart to accelerate, and she focused on the fire with more vigor. It was dancing, flailing, with the energy she was feeding into it. The room was a lite as though the sun were still high, and Kagome tried to restrain it, having difficulty not being consumed with the power that was still untapped, she breathed, steadying herself and the fire too, lowered to a smaller flame. The smoke was thick in the room, and it took everything she had not to close her eyes as the head priestess stepped toward her.

She began to chant with Kagome and the fire rose once more, with the head priestesses guidance the whole temple chanted with an eery syncopation that chilled her to the bone, the fire burst into purple flames and the chanting ceased immediately and the smoke formed the sign of a star and crescent. The head priestess gasped.

"Once before have I witnessed such an event. The kami have accepted you to learn among us, you shall be the next head priestess, come with me, you will now become my own apprentice." she said and bid her to stand and follow her. She walked to the alter and picked up a chord that she placed around her shoulders. The tassels reached her hips and hung loosely against her robe. " Do you accept the position that the kami have chosen for you among our priestesses?"

Kagome was in shock, her mouth was open slightly to assent, but she nodded quickly and blushed. " Yes I will accept what the kami wish for me." she sputtered and bowed. Turning to bow to the shrine priestesses, she was greeted with a mixture of rage and awe, most though stood and cheered for her making the color rush to her cheeks once more. She bowed again and tried to ignore the group of priestesses that had stayed silent in thee applause.

Kagome laid in her cot at the other side of the head priestesses own chamber. She was moved completely out of the priestess quarters and relocated to the head priestesses house. Only those training to become the head priestess were allowed to remain there, she was overwhelmed to say the least. She had not expected to see the sign of the crescent appear. It was Sesshomaru, she was sure that that's what it meant. She turned over and felt the loneliness creep in. it was hard to stay away so long, even when she knew that he was only a half days journey away. She closed her eyes wondering what he was doing just then.

" Look into the pool of water, what do you see?" the old woman's voice cracked his concentration. He was thinking about Kagome and suddenly her image appeared before him in the pool of water, she was laying on a cot sound asleep. He stared at it in wonder.

"A woman." he said

" You know this woman?" she asked interested and narrowing her eyes. He looked at her and nodded.

" You should be thinking of better things then women!" his grandmother lectured him, " there is a matter of harnessing your demonic energy. Now I want you to draw on the image of your grandfather. I shall help you with this, it has been some time since I encountered your fathers father, but he was a demon, undefeated, and supreme among the tribes of the inu clan. It is he that you must follow if you are to become the next heir to his titles." she peaked his interest, he had only imagined what the man who was the Inu no Taisho was like. He bitterly despised his father for giving him no formal training before taking off. He had herd rumors of another great Inu demon along the coastal lands, _he_ was going to defeat that man one day, for all the grief that he had heaped on him without thought.

His grand mother growled angrily and grabbed a length of his hair wrenching his head back to reveal his neck this gesture of submission to her will, caused his hackles to rise and he returned her growl defiantly. She gripped his throat with an iron grip and put him to the ground with a strength that he had not suspected from the old woman. "Control that bitterness of yours. We are done here, I see we will have to start somewhere else with you. Come with me." she let him go when he had stilled submissively for her. She snorted and stood. "Pathetic." she snorted over her shoulder.

Sesshomaru looked at her retreating back with a different respect, she had subdued him. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and stood to exit the cave after her.

"Sesshomaru, understand now that everything you have been taught to this point has been wrong. Start anew, and allow yourself the ability to harness your energy. We demons are creatures of our energy, our body is near indestructible and we are naturally a tuned with nature and our inu spirit, as long as the flow of energy can be manipulated by demons, we are powerful."

"Grandmother, I don't understand how this is to happen." he was nearly pleading, angry at himself for is weakness. He could feel it, just under the surface like a caged beast, he heard the growling voice of the beast **yes let me out.** Sesshomaru froze sure that no one had spoken. There was no one else there inside of him, he pushed the thought away being slightly disturbed by it.

"I have told you, Sesshomaru, it is not something I can teach you to do, you must release your ties to your human past and embrace your demonic self. Harness your energy, it is not a tool, it is your life." she lectured and jumped atop of a high branch. " we will fly home Sesshomaru grab my hand." she beckoned him and he followed obediently. She grasped him and jumped into the air summoning a cloud at her feet. Sesshomaru sat on the cloud and tried to contain the wonder that threatened to break his calm facade. She laughed at him. "Pup, it is okay to enjoy your self." she heckled.

"This one enjoys some things." he shrugged and closed his eyes to ignore her jabs.

"Your first lesson will be sensory. You only believe what you can see you rely on your strength, these are faults, made by some one, used to being _weak_, but we are demons." she reached in to her sleeve and with drew a potion. " drink this." she said. Sesshomaru looked at the vile and sniffed it, finding it kind of sweet smelling, he drank the whole contents and handed her back the vile. "Good, the effects will be immediate..." she smiled.

Sesshomaru furrowed his brows, his keen eyesight was becoming blurry and he watched as her smiling face became darkness he was immersed in a numb state of conscientiousness. He was beginning to panic and he heard the shrill laughter of his grand mother. "Pup, you are safe! Use that nose of yours, and you can still hear, we are not bound by sight alone, this is your first lesson. She cackled. **Do not fear, I will carry us through. **The voice growled batting against his consciousness.

Sesshomaru scented the air and was shocked to find the world clear as if her was still looking at it with his eyes. He calmed himself and put himself into a meditative state, he felt the pride in his own self control. With his nose and ears, the world spoke clearly to him. they landed and he was dropped atop of a surface. He could not feel the ground beneath him, but his nose picked up the deep scents of the wood paneling on the bridge, and the water flowing beneath it. He took a step forward and found nothing and pulled his foot back.

"This is your first obstacle. The demon under the bridge, has a vendetta with inu, it will ensnare your soul, and drop you into hell if you fall into his river. Cross the bridge it is the only way to go forward with your training." she yawned and perched herself on a near by boulder. Snapping her fingers Sakake appeared and knelt before her reverently.

"My lady, has this pup drained you of patience, yet." he smiled up at her. She chuckled and shook her head.

"Ah Sakake, I am sure this one will be enough. Though, he is rather stubborn, he will learn that I am the most stubborn of all. After all that father of his put us through, and putting my Shiemi in the demon realm."

Sakake frowned, thinking about Touganoumarus visit to the tribe three years ago, the determination in his eyes was like granite, he truly had an iron will, and the power to back it up, but the man abdicated his throne to his still maturing pup. Sakake shook his head and glanced over at him. He was standing still on the railing of the bridge, he stepped forward and the demons arms reached forward and narrowly missed the pup. He glanced back at his mistress and saw the gleam of hope in her eyes. " my lady this is a low level task..."

" Even you once started some where." she flashed a fang and silenced him. They both watched Sesshomaru walk calmly across the bridge, he did so evading the tentacles that lunged for his feet and limb. His moko-moko was wrapped around his middle and his concentration was impressive. He finished by turning at the end and grabbing a tentacle and ripping the creature from the water and wrenched it to land.

"You will die for threatening this one." he growled and slammed it back on to the hard ground. He did this twice more until satisfied that the demon was dead.

Sesshomaru could feel the pulse of the demon slow to a stop and disintegrate into vapors. His grand mother laughed. "The pups, got flare."

Hours later Sesshomaru was running through the forest, slashing demons to pieces, numb and blind. Still, from the potion. He was nearly sweating with the effort. Catching the scent of another demon behind him, he stepped to the side and slashed it with his claws. He flung the blood from his claws and stepped forward sniffing to get a view of his surroundings, slightly his eyes began to lighten and he began to be able to see again. It was full daylight and the sunlight burned his eyes. Suddenly he saw an another demon charging at him, he closed his eyes finding his vision distracting. And waited for it to step closer. There was nothing there.

"Sesshomaru. Are you able to see again." his grand mother called to him.

"I am." he answered.

"What have you learned pup?" she asked him demanding a formal report. He walked over to her and bowed formally.

"I have learned to rely on my nose rather then my eyes. " he answered feeling that this was right. Even with his eyes adjusting to the daylight he was more aware of the scents of the Forrest and demons that inhabited it.

"That is correct. We inu are most powerful when we rely on our nose. It will show you more then your eyes will, always." she nodded to him smiling with some satisfaction.

Souta walked behind the silent slayer, she was angry again and he could not blame her, the perverted Houshi had turned out to be her husband, and had effectively convinced the young maiden that he was not. Songo had walked up and grabbed him by the ear and had dragged him from the village they were still a few days from the capital and he could tell that they were going to become a lot longer then they had intended. Miroku was dragging behind looking down at the ground done making up excuses fro his behavior.

"My spring blossom..." he tried in vain.

"Shut it. Souta gather some fire wood we will make camp here." she snapped pointing around angrily. He sighed wondering if he was going to encounter more lively characters, just then he felt the familiar prick of the flea, Myoga.

Inuyasha sniffed the air determined to scent him out, he counted on his sense of smell and the flicking of his inu ears to seek out sounds of humans. Inuyasha held Rin tighter and jumped down from a branch and landed lightly on the ground. Rin was asleep again and drooling on his shoulder.

"Hey, Inuyasha, you finally made it." Youkio smiled self satisfied that he had landed before the dog demon. Inuyasha growled and batted at the cat trying to punch him in the face.

"Hmm. Oh we are here. This is where I found Lord Sesshomaru that means that the village is … that way." Rin hopped down from Inuyashas' back and ran hurriedly down the old road down through the Forrest, she was running for what seemed like minutes before the trees broke and she was faced with the village she had been born in. she looked around with a mix of feelings. There was so much pain her that the tears nearly spilled from her eyes but she heard the sound of Inuyasha and Youkio following her and took a steadying breath. The villagers gasped at the sight of two demons there was shouting and running.

"We should make this quick kid show me the way." Inuyasha growled and pushed past her. "I can get there. He said suddenly and grabbed her and jumped into the air. They touched down at the edge of the village next to the canal. The remains of the burnt hut had been sealed with a sutra. Inuyasha sniffed it and tore it away. A green glow blasted through their vision and the huts remains released a vapor until the smoke cleared. He grabbed Rin back and took her back from the miasma and tried to keep from passing out with the onslaught of smells.

"Whats the matter dog. You cant stand a little smoke." Youkio smirked and walked into the cloud inspecting the wreckage.

"Grr get off my back cat breath." he snarled and went in when the smoke had cleared enough. Rin trailed after them. He sneezed twice and rubbed his overstimulated nose. There was not much left from the previous owners of the hut. Rin looked around as if in her dream everything that had appeared in her dream was there burnt on the ruins of this building, she stooped to pick up a half charred bokken hilt, a practice tool their father had used to teach Souta how to fight.

" This, Inuyasha, I think may help." she handed it to him. He snorted at the order of ash and soot but there was a faint scent of human on it.

" Nope, that's not strong enough, you need a piece of clothing or part of them for me to get a good enough scent." he looked around.

Youki looked at Inuyasha and rolled his eyes thinking what a worthless blood hound they had brought along. He rifled through some of the burnt up piece of rubble and came upon a chest of cloths that had been half burned but were mostly protected by a thick wood and iron chest. He thought it was more fitting that an item of that quality be in a palace rather then a burnt up hut. He twitched his ears around listening for another creature or spy that could sneak around, but he found nothing, inching his claw to the latch he opened the lid and reached in to paw at the contents, he could smell nothing but ash and dust along with the degrading cloth. " hey dog breath," he smirked and wagged his tail towards Inuyasha hitting him in the face. Inuyasha grabbed at it with the intention to rip it off but it twitched away and he was forced to turn and confront the smug red feline male. He preened in the attention and played coy. "I found some thing of interest..." he flashed his sharp fangs and glanced down at his claws.

"Spit it out." Inuyasha growled and flexed his own claws.

Youki stepped aside to reveal the chest and Inuyasha stepped past no longer interested in the cat. Youkio sniffed insulted and recluse to the other side of the hut. Inuyasha sniffed through the robed and shook his head one piece after another, until it got to a pair of small leather gloves. "This is it, a human male 10 years of age, and his scent is of blood kin to you Rin." he looked at her sure that he could track it.

"Do you mean that we will be able to find him?" Rin asked hopefully.

"I can track this scent. It will be faint, but, I believe that if hes still around some where that I can find-" Youkio hissed and turned on the door to the hut alarming the room to the intruder. Inuyasha rolled his eyes having already assessed the woman as a non threat.

"Hello, please don't hurt me, I knew the owners of this hut- I saw you messing around over here and one of you broke the alarm system I had rigged for the place." she admitted hurriedly.

"You did that, lady? Why." Inuyasha demanded.

"I have been waiting for Rens' children to return, tell me little girl are you Rens daughter." she plead. Rin was interested, she looked innocently at the woman and nodded. "It has been a long time Rin, I am Masumi, the village outcast. I was a friend to your family when no one else would accept them here. I was here when they set fire to the home, and I watched both of you flea and tried to give you as much time as I could." Masumi said drawing back her sleeve and revealing a deep and jagged scar up her arm.

Rin gasped. "Do you know where my brother went?!" Rin asked almost begging.

"I don't buy it, what proof do you have that you are who you claim." Youkio stepped froward and lengthened his claw to touch the woman's face.

"I don't trust her either," Inuyasha said scenting her but again only finding the miasma of the alarm.

"I have the last gift that your father wanted you and your brother to have before the war was to be fully over." she looked up earnest that they believe her.

"I believe you." Rin said smiling.

"Then come with me and I will hand you your destiny." the woman smiled standing straight and looking as if she had been waiting for that moment for a long time. The woman lead them around the village to a similar rustic looking hut, that she entered and beckoned them. I allow you ,demons in my home only this once, your welcome will not be warm should you try again. " she warned and they stepped through a thin barrier that singed their skin slightly, Youkio shifted swiping at a friz in his red hair and brushed his clothing straighter. Inuyasha snorted at him and muttered something about prissy cats.

Masumi reached into a drawer and withdrew a small hand mirror and sword. "There was three items , your father told me about but alas I have collected two from the looters that had robbed your home after the fire. This mirror id a beacon, and a tool to find any who are lost to you, the sword is the one your grand father used, and the one your father used, until they died. These things are to be given to you, the rightful heir to the treasures of the empire." she said and let the awe soak in to Rins' already amazed face. Rin looked into the mirror and frowned thinking about her brother.

"How do I use them?" she asked.

"That is for you to find out, my dear." she winked.


	6. Chapter 6

Youki had insisted on carrying the items. He had_ said_ it was to ease her burden, and Rin was happy to oblige him though inuyasha thought he was just sucking up to the kid, just incase se was some kind of royal. Rin walked along side Youki, and stared at his unique red hair and eyes. Every so often one of his cat ears would twitch in her direction.

"Youki san?" she smiled hoping.

"Yes lady Rin." he answered without fail.

"Could I touch your ears?" she asked pleadingly. Youki froze in his place and blushed. Rin was looking at him pleadingly and he could see how eager she was. He flicked his tail and pursed his lips.

"My lady Inuyasha possess similar features as my own ears, would you not be more comfortable asking_ him_." he asked blushing still. Rin shook her head.

"I've only seen one person get away with touching them...its cause he bites." she glanced over at him. He frowned.

"I can hear you! And hell yeah, keep your hands on your own ears, I ain't some puppy to pet at will." he huffed and crossed his arms.

Youkio narrowed his eyes at the half demon. he wanted to escape, she hadn't commanded him to allow her to touch him, but the constant staring was just as bad. He sighed and knelt before the person he had sworn to protect, and she clapped her hands happily. Grabbing both ears with both hands, she gasped at how soft the fur was. His red ears were like silk in her fingers, and she gave them a worthy scratch. Youkio bared it, while fighting the urge to pull away. but,When she began to rub his ears, he could not stop from purring, content. She smiled wider and giggled.

"Neko youkai are s_o cute_. Youkio, we are going to be friends forever, aren't we." she asked running her finders through his red hair and stepping back. He had his eyes half closed and looked up at her, still purring.

"I am your servant, you need only ask and I will deliver you." he vowed once more slightly wishing that she had continued. Inuyasha laughed but Rin could see a hint of jealousy in his eyes. She grabbed Youkios' hand and dragged him down the dirt road.

" Yeah yeah, loyalty... lets get going the scent is getting stronger, he must have been here lately." Inuyasha said sniffing the air fervently. He followed he scent to a clearing. it was a major road that travels the distance to the capital and further. He groaned. The scent went both ways. "the scent is strongest this way. He said looking toward the west, the capital was in the east. The capital was a dangerous place to be at that time, and he hoped that the boy did not go there. Inuyasha was determined to find him.

He could not escape the feeling of deja-vouse, when she had told him that she had a brother, it had reminded him of his own want for a family, which his brother had always denied him. He thought about his sister in law, she was his favorite family member but when he went back to find her again she was gone. Inuyasha was sure that Kagome had moved shrines, or gone home, he could smell her scent rapidly fading from that one she had been at last. Also, upon going back to check on her, there were several graves being dug and buildings decimated, so he assumed that his brother had taken her back. He wasn't surprised, his brother was not the sharing type, he thought flashing back to their child hood, he had always tried to get Sesshomaru to play, but the already teenager had only wanted to spar and criticize everything about his form. Their father was on his side most of the time, until he also chimed in to criticize him. He sighed, he had not used his katana since he had become a demon, he had felt alive, in that moment he realized that he had power of his own he thrust past every barrier that had stopped him before. He was faster, fiercer and more dangerous then he had ever been in his life, and he relied only on his claws and nose, they never lied to him and though he had lost much of the person that he had once been, he felt at peace with himself and his primal instincts.

He followed the road at top speed, still drifting in and out of his thoughts, he was scenting out the human and following his winding trail. He smelled the scent of demons and halted with Rin under his arm.

" Inuyasha? What is it?" she asked.

" An ogre demon." he snarled and set her down ready to fight.

Gin and Azura stumbled out onto the road. They did not have a keen sense of smell but azura was able to get a reading on the sweat droplets that had been left behind. Their son had indeed set off for the capital. "Hurry, gin, the trails evaporation. She said wearily. He picked up his feet and followed her seamless movements with more vigor.

Before them they picked up the energy of a demon, half demon and a human child. Hoping that it was Souta the two demons hurried forward. With out stretched arms.

"Hey you bastards get out of my way before you become road kill." Inuyasha growled and then stopped. The scent of the boy was all over these two demons. He sniffed again to be sure but the scent was as thick, as though these demons had been his parents.

"Hello, ogre san." Rin smiled gazing up at the seven foot demon. He nodded at her and Inuyasha growled warningly.

" half demon, we are not interested in fighting you." Azura stepped forward, while Youkio stepped out of her range. He was prepared to fight, any time, but the thought of being soaked at the beginning of the battle did not sit well with him.

" hello, do you know my brother?" Rin piped up looking from under Inuyasha's red sleeve. The ogre demon knelt and looked at her. His eyes widened and he stepped back giving her some room.

"Yes, I raised the boy known as Souta. My mate and I have been looking for him, though we do not travel fast. Please tell us the name of the second grand child of our great leader." he bowed. Inuyasha looked confused and Youkio stepped forward to take her from him. Rin reached out and took Youkios' hand allowing him to place her on the ground. She looked up at the bowing demon blushing at being only tall enough to reach any of her companions chests and this ogre demons thigh.

" silly demon, stand up! I am Rin, and I am looking for my brother." she laughed. The demon was on his feet, wide eyes and looking at her in wonder. He had felt the rush of power and looked at his mate who nodded at him. They had made a mistake.

You guys are gonna travel with us now to?" Inuyasha grumbled as they back tracked down the dust road. The demons nodded happily, he had found the woman to have a cheery disposition and the large ogre to be silent but expressive when he had strong opinions. He rolled his eyes. He had to kick his brother, when he saw him next. Rin was walking with the two demons asking about her brother. The lad was older then he had originally thought, then again, he knew that the shrimpy girl was nearly an adult herself, but she was so small and innocent that he often forgot that she had grown up at all past the five year old that had followed Sesshomaru home.

Youkio eyes the water nymph, he did not trust her, nymphs were notorious tricksters, and he had felt a small droplet of water touch the tip of his ear. It had twitched and he could have sworn that he heard the demoness giggle.

"Hi kitty, what relation do you have with these two." Azura perked up when she caught him eying her.

" I have told you madam, that my name is Youkio. I am lady Rins' loyal protector and servant. The half bread is her guardians eyes and ears... he simply is a pest if you ask me." he said flashing his fangs the Inuyasha back.

"Shut it cat, you can't track for shit, and you're slow as hell. So far I've been doing _all_ the fighting." Inuyasha hackles raised and her turned around.

"Inuyasha, Youkio, you are both apart of my journey,_ equally_, so don't start fighting again." Rin said getting tired of their rivalry. Squaring off, she knew that Youki was antagonized the argument, and that Inuyasha was already sensitive about being bid where to go by her lord Sesshomaru. " Gin san, Souta is going to the capital?" she asked looking away from her sulking companions, Inuyasha growled at Youkio and they eyes each other angrily.

Gin looked disapprovingly at the two youkai, he nodded at Rin and lifted her to sit on his shoulder, as he had for Souta many years ago. " yes, Rin, your brother has gone to challenge the current emperor for his rightful place as the emperor, it was your fathers last wish, you see that his children be given back what he fought and died for. Rin you have the power don't you?" Gin asked looking at her as he walked. " I felt it when you told me to stand, I felt the power of command that is only present in the blood of the true ruler.." he started. Rin laughed and he frowned. " what is funny miss." he questioned

"I am no ruler, I have a hard time keeping my lord Sesshomaru from noticing how often I skip my lessons." she snorted. " besides, My brother already is determined to become the ruler, I will do anything to help him get there." she smiled content, and settled.

Youkio frowned overhearing this, he knew that she was the one, so did every demon that had come to know her, he knew in his soul that this small girl being protected by a growing army of demons was exactly the way that her grandfather had started his gathering of influence. He shook his head at how blind humans were and was more determined to get her to see that she was truly the one. "My lady Rin I will accompany you any where." Youkio declared getting the attention of the ogre. He glanced down at the Neko youkai and snorted.

"Are you the descendant of Dai or Haru from the southern Neko tribe?" the ogre asked

Youkio glanced at him, " they are my mother and father." he answered sceptically, and sniffed the ogre, he was not familiar to him.

" They served with my mate, and I when we were apart of the emperors demon army." he said looking at him with a new gleam in his eyes. " What have they been up to these hundred or so years?" gin chuckled

"Haru! That's where you get those red eyes of yours!" Azura wailed and flicked him with another droplet of water. He hissed and jumped back with his ears flattening. Inuyasha chuckled muttering about cats.

"Inuyasha... is it? You are the _servant_ of a lord?" the water nymph asked, Rin giggled.

"No, I'm his younger brother, I just _feel_ like a servant most of the time." he grumbled, the ogre peaked in interest.

"Inuyasha... lord Sesshomaru? Lad you don't have the markings... but you do resemble the western Lord Inu no Taisho... ye wouldn't be..."

"That old man was my gramps. He was half crazy when he died so I didn't go around him much..." Inuyasha said snickering a little. The ogre and water nymph both took a moment of silence that silenced Inuyashas' tirade. He looked at them curiously.

"We did not know that he had lived... or that we might one day be reunited with one of his blood line. What happened that ye should be born a half demon." Gin asked demanding an answer.

Inuyasha turned and growled through with the interrogation. " I don't have to answer to you. I am here to protect Rin not to put up with you and your superiority complex. There is more then enough people to get to the capital by tonight, haul ass or stay behind." Inuyasha cussed him out and tuned his back to start running. " catch up if you can." he smirked and left them hurrying after him.

"Gin you really need to work on that..." Azura said in his ear becoming a half vapor mass flying through the air at his shoulder. He groaned.

"The pup is too sensitive. Its the human in him." he grumbled.

" Master Inuyasha is hard to get along with at times, but he is also a dear friend of mine. I love him as my older brother. That is what he is to me." Rin spoke up, the two demons blanched chastised by Rin. She was not frowning at them though, she knew how he was looked at by humans and demons and had gotten over the initial shock. It just took some getting used to. She was sure that they could all become friends eventually.

the crescent moon was all that remained in the sky when Sesshomaru earned his rest for the four days of constant training, he was released to do as he wanted until she called for him again. He had increased his control and concentration ten fold, and felt like a different being all together. He was still disturbed at the more primal side that was clawing its way to the surface. He thought about Kagome. It had been that long since he had even scented her in the wind. half of him longed to go to kaogme when she was so close, he needed her. the beast inside him batted at him breaking down his self controll, He felt ill, the beast inside of him was real raging, like a caged animal, it reminded him of the dreams he used to have as a human a part of himself that he could not controll, he had been taught about the synchronization of he mind and the instintual side of himself, it would require him to gain one hundred times more power then he had at that point.

" I will become strong." he muttered thinking about the breakthroughs he had made during his training. but some how he knew the reality of the lack of control that he demonstrated over the least amount of tasks his grandmoter gave him. His beast side warred with him. Beating at him and causing him to have a headache. He pushed it aside once more and jumped into the trees to descend the mountain, he would see kagome because _he_ wanted to and no other reason.

The shrine she was at was not too far and he could hear the distant sound of the chiming bells from a distance. A ceremony of sorts, he was sure. The spiritual energy was extending out from there like a wave, and when he landed he was assaulted by an all to familiar spiritual energy. He would wait for her. There with his demonic energy subdued to himself he moved around stealthily and observed from the wall of the shrine. They had a large fire and Kagome was there dressed in sacred robed pouring oil on the alter of Morderiko, he felt the new found control she had acquired and was impressed as the energy nearly burned him. But he was stronger too, wading through it as though it were the waves of the ocean.

Kagome looked up to see him there on the wall standing behind all of the priestesses that were observing the ritual. She gasped loosing her concentration only to look back and find him gone. She had not felt the presence of any demon, she started again earning some chuckles from some of the woman and finished the ceremony further with out error.

" Kagome what is it that you saw." the head priestess asked after wards when she was glancing back at the place where he had been, like a ghost in the night, maybe she was just hoping, thinking to her self about the times that she had missed him since they had parted ways.

" I thought I saw..." she started and stopped short when the priestess laughed.

" I already know, that inu may be budding into his powers, but this old women has still lived longer then him, go on " she nudged her toward the gate.

"you mean that really was him, I didn't imagine it?" she asked surprised.

" no, masking their energy is basic, any taiyoukai can do it." she shrugged. " its about time, how did you live with that headache for so long?" she asked.

" hmm, it just doesn't bother me, its kind of comforting." she shrugged and the priestess smilled a little skeptical, but nodded.

Kagome did not waste time getting to the gate, she walked down the stairs and got about half way down through the tree covering when he appeared in front of her and she ran into him. " have you gotten taller?" she asked rubbing her nose a little irritated.

" Kagome it is keen to look where you are going." he smirked and leaned down to sniff her. He could tell the tasks that she had been performing and the cleansing rituals that always left the after scent of the incense imbedded on her scent. " you have been busy." he observed. She nodded and sighed stepping closer to be wrapped in his embrace, he welcomed the closeness and was content to leave his scent on her, which had completely washed off once more. He was irritated that he could not trust that her familial ties will be recognized. At least she seemed to be gaining power. " have I grown taller?" he questioned and measured her height to his own, he smirked, realizing that he had indeed grown in height four inches. " it seems that I have remained, and you have shrunk." he said making her blush and touch her nose, which had collided with his sternum rather then his collar bone.

" I would know." she griped and sighed " I know you have changed, Sesshomaru, I can feel it in your energy. Have you become at one with your powers yet?" she asked

he was suprised but didnot show it. inside thoughHis beast grumbled from within his soul singing her praises as an observant mate. He gazed into her face searching for the answer to why she knew what she did. everything in him told him to mark her as his own, how... he was not sure.

" As I said, I would know." she smiled and grasped his larger hand within her own and took a seat on the stone steps, he took a place beside her and waited for further explanation, he scented her emotions finding nothing that he had not already been aware of, the spiritual power was evident but that did not explain how she could read him so easily when he had made masking his emotions his life's work. "when you spend a lot of time with someone, you just begin to know them more then you know yourself, I can tell when your irritated or a little sensitive to something, its in your attitude and expression, I see it." she told him smiling delicately as he was dazzled once more by her inner light.

" I believe I understand," he muttered getting trapped in her blue eyes. He had known that this was a good idea, he would still be able to hear, should his grand mother call. He pushed aside the thoughts of his tasks ahead to descend and press his mouth to hers.

Sakake was trailing his lady. " mistress Hitomi, are you sure this is... wise." he asked for the fourth time.

" I want to know what business he has at the shrine, he had the scent of priestess on him when he came to us." she said shrugging. Sakake shook his head, he had failed to mention the pups human, for a reason. Inu were famous for their loyalty to humans but they had not often crossed such blood lines, and least of all with a priestess.

Sesshomaru was distracted, he knew that he should be listening and waiting for his grand mothers call but the feel of Kagomes' lips pressed against him was too tempting to allow the chance to go by, he kissed her back in earnest and pulled her closer, his claw had untied the obi to her robes and was partially pressing the fabric down with his claws sliding dangerously on her skin and revealing the flesh of her breasts to his vision, and raising goose bumps in their wake. Kagome did not seem to mind only taking the chance to press closer to him and start her own expedition of getting his sash untied. The beast in him grumbled as, he pushed it back wanting only to enjoy the moment with his wife. he wanted to taste her blood, the vien of her jugular pulsed beneith his lips and he jerked back startled by his own thoughts_. _He warred in him andThe beast growled within him.

Kagome felt the hesitation as soon as he started over thinking, she was tired, and wanted only to enjoy her time too. Aggressively, she pulled his hair and got his attention. " kiss me." she demanded, he obliged with vigor, ready to give her any thing that she asked of him. She moaned against his lips and he could no longer focus on anything except shedding her of all of the clothing that separated them. He had her robes pulled apart to her waist and her hands were exploring his chest, appreciating the muscles that he had gained training when his blood ran hot and the red haze began to consume him. he would have to have her soon.

"So this is where you spend your time." a shrill voice pierced the silence of the forest. She did not tread lightly, and thinking about it, he had heard the sound of her approach as soon as she had entered the forest. Kagome pulled her robe together and blushed as she saw Sakake in the background.

Sesshomaru did not get up. "yes, if you would excuse me." he growled not believing that she would actually interfere with his intimate meeting.

Hitomi sniffed the aura that had begun to burn her sensitive nostrils. The woman had his scent all over her, but with their currant condition she was not surprised. " what is this priestess to you!" she demanded growling a warning to her lest she should become inclined to purify them.

"Mistress, this is Sesshomaru mate. The lady of the west, they are... married. Apparently he married her as a human and all of the documentation _is _in order."Sakake explained quietly, Sesshomaru growled again and tightened his grasp on her shoulders.

"What! This human?" Hitomi jumped into the tree and grabbed Kagome by the arm wrenching her out of Sesshoamrus' grasp and jumping to a higher branch. Sesshomaru growled and Sakake jumped in front of him.

"Move." he threatened wanting to get to her. He saw his grand mother inspect her and sniff her over. " she is under my protection, give her back." he demanded making both his grand mother and Sakake glance at him with the black energy that made his grand mother smile.

"I see, you want her back?" his grand mother chuckled and threw her over her shoulder and took off " catch me, if you can." she laughed and said to kagome quietly " don't worry lass, we are just going to have some fun with that grand son of mine." Kagome nodded and relaxed though irritated to be interrupted.

Sesshomaru was enraged. His mind snapped and the beast in him roared_. _Sesshomaru tied his robe once more and jumped to the ground, he could see his grand mother in the distance. He burst forward and found himself catching up with her. She scented him and jumped into the sky forming a demon could he jumped into the air and soured after her.

" Just as I thought... You are a fool, Sesshomaru, and ungrateful for the natural power that is in your blood. Many demons will try to kill you for that power... you can't even catch and old woman carrying your mate." she laughed and Kagome looked at the woman in awe. " _what_? you mean, no one ever talks to him like that." she asked quirking a brow, Kagome shook her head and glanced back at him he was on their tail gaining at an accelerated pace. His grandmother was nearly giddy with the game she had set up. " Lass, I would like you to hold on to me tightly, I'm going to transform." she warned and Kagome gasped as the cloud melted away from her and the Inu woman, became a great majestic giant canine and landed on the ground lightly and turning on him. She growled _too slow pup, how could I allow such a fool to become the heir to my own blood line, I heard you have a half demon brother, suppose he deserves this woman more then you." _she challenged watching the rage build in him until his eyes were red with demonic fury


	7. Chapter 7

Inuyasha's ears twitched in the late twilight. He sped off into the distance feeling deadly cold wave through him, shivering, he hopped to the ground where his companions were.

Rin jumped startled and yawned loudly into Inuyasha hair. He shook the warm spot her breath caused on his skin and complained about annoying habits of humans.

Several miles to the north west, Kagome clung to the Inu demoness with as much strength as she possessed, she did not know what Sesshomaru grandmother had said, but the furious howl that pierced the night sent waves of fear through her at the amount of anger thrumming in his demonic energy.

The old woman was giddy, dodging his bared teeth and lunges for her throat. Sakake was at their heels having trouble keeping up with the tangled combatants. She was traveling to the east towards the highest peak of the mountain that the Inu tribe inhabited. Wind rushed past her ears and Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, though the wind threatened to tear them open again. When they stopped Kagome peaked hoping to find herself on the ground.

A piercing scream sounded through the forest and reached Sesshomaru's keen hearing. Narrowing his eyes he tracked her, the scent was fresh. Running faster, he saw at the top of the mountain a huge crater into the darkest black that he had ever perceived. Kagome was standing on a narrow ledge near the darkness of the depths. His grandmother hovered above her with a smirk on her angelic features. Sesshomaru transformed back to his human appearance and stepped forward to jump down to her.

" tut tut, I don't think so.." Hitomi barked a laugh and he paused, feeling a quake in the ground. Looking to the depths of the cavern he could not see the creature that lie there but the wave of demonic energy that pulsed from it caused his hackles to raise defensively

Kagome shrieked again feeling the ledge rock under her feet. When she grasped the wall to steady herself, a large hand grasped her leg and dragged her into the depth of the pit. " Sesshomaru!" she screamed as she was suspended in the darkness. A pare of red eyes shined as large as giant in front of her and they blinked. There was a dim purple light that emerged from the depth and shined a light on her captor. A giant toothy grin split its face and she was able to see the dark purple fur that covered the wolf beast. That crouched in the darkness.

"Ah priestess, you will make a lovely addition to my collection." he chuckled. And squeezed her in his grasp. Standing he howled and cast a beam from the sound waves of his bey. Kagome tried to cover her ears. The beast began to grow in power and raised out of the mountain with a roar.

Sesshomaru turned on his grandmother and saw the smirk and challenge in her eyes. " you wanted her, my grandson? Get her from the mountain spirit. Don't waist time or her soul will be added to his collections of sacrifices." she snapped her fingers and Sakake summoned her throne and knelt at her side as she took her place of power.

Sesshomaru had no words for the anger that burned in his soul. Kagome's helpless cries assaulted his ears and he felt his beast tearing to be loosed. His grasp on his control was slipping and he felt his claws lengthen and his canines sharpen until blood dripped from his own lips. launching into the air, Sesshomaru grasped on to the beasts fur behind his ear and sliced the appendage off of the beasts skull. The wolf howled and turned to smack him to the ground, blood pouring from his wound. latching onto his arm with his teeth Sesshomaru tore a chunk of skin from his forearm. Wrenching back the wolf howled once more into the night summoning apparitions that took hold of Sesshomaru's limbs restraining him. The beasts wound regenerated and the massive wolf squeezed Kagomes' struggling body winding her and effectively choking her out. Kagome fell against the massive hand.

Hitomi snickered as the mountain spirit took the humans body and set it at the edge of a massive cliff that suspended over a vat. The wolf set out to start the fire and withdraw the set of glass beads that held glowing spirit orbs. " soon enough my beautiful priestess you will be among the others." he crooned and rubbed his hands together.

Sesshomaru wrenched his arms trying to free himself but no amount of pulling would free him from the entities grasp. Twisting he slashed at the spirit and dissolved the entity on one of his limbs. Struggling he cut his way out of the tendrils of energy and launched into the air to the wolf demon. A barrage of spirit energies launched at him and he clawed his way through.

Sesshomaru jumped into the air and swung for the beasts throat, the giants head rolled back from its shoulders and he grabbed Kagome off of the ledge. As soon as she was in his hands he calmed down and immediately set to looking for any injury, ignoring the quake as the massive corps fell to the ground and turned to dust. Seeing that she was okay he closed his eyes and listened as Sakake approached with his grandmothers throne in tow.

Sesshomaru grasped her against, his beast was raging at the near loss of his wife. To think that an old woman took her from his grasp made him psychotic with rage. Turning to his grandmother he narrowed his eyes.

" what is the meaning of this!" he demanded clearly angry.

Hitomi clapped her hands, mocking him. Waving her hand, she summoned a jewel that when she turned it restored the demon. The wolf looked at Hitomi and knelt before her. " you have done as I have asked this will not be forgotten my old friend." she patted his head and dismissed him. Looking at her grandson Hitomi was nearly angry.

" You fool, why have you not told me of your intended?" she scolded him. " It is a weakness that you should better guard." she scolded him angrily.

"She is my wife. There is nothing to discuss." Sesshomaru leveled with the old woman not willing to budge on the matter.

"You are in training, there is no time for women." Hitomi crossed her arms.

Sesshomaru was not in the mood to be torn away from his bride once more that night. taking his iron will and making it law, he turned and walked away from his grandmother. Sakake stood to go after him but Hitomi raised her hand and shook her head.

"There's no use that look in his eyes... that's the same look his grandfather had. You can't tell that one anything. He will just have to learn." she sighed.

Before turning out of his grandmothers view he stopped and turned. "I will be back to complete my training at dawn." he announced and jumped into the air.

Kagome was silent, she could feel the anger still simmering under the surface. She could feel the division in him was even greater and his stress increased. They traveled for mere moments before he set down in waters of a trickling stream. Sesshomaru disrobed and began to wash his blood soaked clothing, the moonlight glistened off of his ivory skin and silver hair. Kagome took a seat next to him and checked his body for injuries.

" This one is not hurt." he said breaking the silence. He wrung out his clothing and set them out to dry. Even in the night air his body was not affected by the elements.

Kagome felt relief that he was not physically injured, but the anger and frustration hadn't subsided even a little in him. Scooting closer and resting her head on his shoulder, she tried to sooth his anger. "I am glad you are okay. This night has not turned out the way we had expected, ne?" she tried to lighten the mood leaning to the side of his neck and kissing him lightly. His frown deepened.

Turning to her fully, Sesshomaru grabbed her and pulled her to his chest. Smelling her calming scent and Finding her truly alright, he finally let himself relax. He resolved to never allow any to touch what belongs to him again. She was his, _His_. Scenting her again he found his own scent to be superficial light in contrast to her own scent. "No one will lay a finger on you, ever again, I will not allow it." he vowed pulling back from her and looking seriously at her. Kagome saw the depth of his determination and nodded believing him.

"I trust you." she said knowing that he meant it. Sesshomaru placed her head beneath his chin silently apologizing for endangering her life. The anger in the pit of his stomach was reviling at his own weakness. Twice, the old woman has caused him to look like a fool, and had done things that no one had gotten away with before. Holding his wife and knowing that she truly did trust him to always get her out of danger, he felt the weight of that task more and more as people began step forward to test his strength. This would be the one of many more times that her life would be threatened for his sake. Cursing himself, he had wanted to be done with risking her life in other peoples games.

The hours passed quickly, restlessly for Kagome. Every time she shut her eyes she was awakened by the sounds of the night. She rolled over under Sesshomarus' shirt and looked at his ivory back as he watched into the distance. He was still. He turned to look at her suddenly. She was always surprise how alert he was at all times, she had not seen him sleep but a few times in the last years, when he laid with her it was either to comfort or protect not to rest. His eyes stared into her silently assessing her health and emotions.

"You are not well?" he asked unsure about why she would not be sleeping. It was near dawn and he knew that she had not slept long.

" I cant sleep there is too much noise..." she yawned and came to sit next to him. He nodded and surged a wave of demonic energy that sent the animals scurrying away. The forest silenced and he turned to her. " thank you.." she said truly thankful but not really finding the silence more restful. She wanted to sit up with him for a while. He watched silently as she stared into the sky above them looking into the half clouded sky with dreamy eyes. the moon was waxing and almost full and giving them some light in the darkness, he could see perfectly as the light caressed her soft skin. Leaning to touch the places on her face that were shaded in darkness he heard her heart pick up and she leaned into his hand seeking the closeness that they had been denied before.

Her hands twisted in his hair and grasped the warm flesh of his back holding herself against him. Sesshomaru scented need that was causing his beast to rise to the surface. Feeling his canines sharpen he tore his mouth away from hers. Not noticing his loss of control, she was busy using her mouth to attack his exposed chest and throat, she felt pleasure tingle at the edge of her consciousness and consume her whole being. Breathing heavily as he moved her on to his lap, she gasped when she felt his sharp claws slide down her sides " Sesshomaru are they far enough away?" she asked fighting for coherency enough to care that they heard or not. He growled and pinched her flesh roughly.

" I assure you no one would dare interrupt this one a second time." he growled smugly. Setting his hands to delving into her cloths he listened as the sound of her heartbeat picked up. Satisfied with her response, but far from his goal, he leaned to her ear and tugged on it nibbling not too gently. His hands had memorized every inch of her body and molded to her every curve. Warmth pooled in the pit of her stomach and she pressed back into his hard body.

His skin was like smooth granite exploding with heat, resting against him, she felt every tug and pull of his muscles as he worked her into a frenzy of need. Kagome moaned when she felt his claw graze her stomach when he grabbed her to shift into a different position. Sitting with his back against a fallen log he rid her of her remaining clothing and set her down on his lap. Kagome's hands were not idle touching his neck and chest while she sucked on his pointed ear. Growling playfully Sesshomaru kneaded her bottom grinding into her and silently loving the sounds of pleasure that irrupted from her. Surrounded by the scent of her arousal Sesshomaru was beginning to feel anticipation as liquid pleasure dripped from her center and coated his erection. Rubbing the tip into her, he shifted his hips and impaled her, Kagomes' body opened slowly allowing him entrance and they both let out the breath they had been holding, as she relaxed and jerked her hips into his, moaning loudly.

Sesshomaru felt his own excitement quicken gripping her hips and helping her to ride him. Feeling his own demonic side flaring with the increased arousal his claws sharpened to points and his eyes tinted red. Kagome had not noticed, eyes closed and working on the side of his face with her soft lips, she only sounded her own pleasure at the increased aggression. His breath was ragged loosing the shreds of humanity that he had grasped on to so tightly. She squeezed his body with her own holding on to him tightly. She trusted him even as he lost control and her cries sounded into the night louder and louder with the strength of his possession of her. She peaked again and again ridding out her pleasure in his strong grasp, and was blind with wanting when he pushed her back and turned her over to lift her onto her knees, she noticed the red in his eyes when she looked back at him over her shoulder, he was lost in his own mind staring hungrily at her entrance as he again slid inside. Forcing in deeper then she was prepared for, she reached back to his hand and grasped it tightly, noticing her discomfort he leaned over her stretched out form and licked the shell of her ear pausing momentarily for her to adjust, but he was not a patient man. Pulling himself out and re-sheathing, he snapped. All of his instincts told him that this was right, she was his and his alone, no one would ever touch what belonged to him, he would be sure of it.

Kagome fought to keep from sliding to the ground In her exhaustion. He was holding up the weight of her body with little effort with one hand while the other reached around to touch her. His teeth slid against the side of her neck and he wanted so badly to sink his teeth into her it scared him. She was tired he could feel the slackening of her energy but he was not done yet. Picking her up off of the ground and standing he took her legs in his grasp and slammed her on to his still hard shaft. He let out the groan that had been waiting to escape and quickened his pace has he felt the coil in his belly begin to wind.

Feeling nothing but the warm sheath of her body Sesshomaru pounded into her letting all of his energy envelop her as he took her body. His aura was nearly palpable searing the skin that made contact with his but leaving no burn behind. Kagome bit her lip when his claws dug in a little harder, his movements were strong solidly delving into her. With each motion, his mouth watered and he swallowed numbly wanting to taste her blood as he reached his climax. Licking her neck he shuddered at the pulse of her vein beneath her skin. Feeling his teeth, she turned her head to give him more, wanting him to take and give pleasure as he wanted it, understanding the implications of her instinctual gesture.

When she tilted her head Sesshomaru moaned, his beast overjoyed at the gesture of commitment, and sunk his teeth into her; pinning her to him as he furiously reached his peak. As the blood touched his tongue, Sesshomaru groaned intoxicated by the aroma, and came inside her keeping her still until he was done. With the last jerks of his orgasm, he released and licked her neck surprised by the amount of blood that seeped from her wound. She stood on her feel wearily and held on to him a an anchor. He cleaned her of the blood, and looked at the bite mark that lingered on her skin, blood still beading at the surface. She was shaking from exhaustion and barely noticed the blood until it dripped down her breast to drop on to her stomach. It stung at the touch and she hissed.

Looking up at Sesshomaru concerned and thinking back, he had never bitten her before, but the molten ember of his eyes held no secret of his want to do it once more, he leaned to her and licked the droplets from her skin and drew her to seal the wound a little shamefully. "This one regrets biting you so hard,." he said though he could not find the truth in it.

Kagome could feel the pulse of his energy through her as he sealed the mark and grabbed on to him as pain engulfed her skin, from the spot that he had bitten a sapphire crescent appeared. He felt her energy shift and part of himself leave out of his soul and rest inside her. "A mark? Is this the mark of your clan?" she looked up at him expectantly.

Sesshomaru was surprised, " How do you know about marking?" he asked. She smiled sheepishly.

"oh... Songo told me that during mating season males mark the females they intend to be with, it makes demons extremely attached and may be the cause of a vendetta, should she kill a mated demon. Also, I didn't know if you were ready for that kind of demon thing and, since you hadn't marked me, and we are married, I just felt that if you wanted to, you would." she smiled. "I can honestly say that I am glad that you did, I feel it? Do you?" she sighed and leaned into him.

Sniffing her he scented the change as well, she had his scent on her blood, his aura surrounded her also to protect her as well as himself and he felt the tug of their new bond. He nodded once looking up into the sky as the sun began to peak over the horizon. " it is time." he nudged her and stood gathering his clothing and dressing, she was done a little after him and barely had time to put her sandals on before he scooped her up and took of into the sky jumping from treetop to treetop.

At the mountain Hitomi looked up at the rising sun she could sense the aura of her grandson within a mid range distance. " Sakake." she snapped her fingers and he stood at attention " be sure that that Kagome girl is properly guarded while I train Sesshomaru. No telling what he'd do if that girl were to be in real danger."

" indeed. Mistress." sakake grunted in acknowledgment.

Through the vast expanses of the forest, Inuyasha tread grumbling about the group that lagged behind him, for demons they all traveled far too slow and he grew impatiens with the lack of enthusiasm for running. The ogre lumbered at the rear with the water demoness, he didn't mind her as much as he despised the ogre.

" Inuyasha, can you still smell Souta?" Rin asked from her place on his back, the crow had come back from his place at the palace and was flying just in front of him. He wished that he could make the crow a lot larger to carry their whole party to the capital.

" yeah, duh, he only reeks of human just like you do. We are still a few days away at this rate, you sure we cant ditch them and find the kid on our own."

" they mean well, if you give them a chance, they may turn out to be valuable friends." Rin said defusing his argument."

" you sound like my brother." he rolled his eyes. The kid was just too calm, and optimistic, when he looked back at the demons that followed them, he saw rude egotistical creatures that believed that he was just some mistake of nature. But Rin was always surrounded by them, they loved her, she loved them. Shaking his head, he just didn't get it.

" don't think too hard, your face will get stuck that way" Youkio hissed at his heals.

" I didn't ask your opinion." Inuyasha snapped

" I would like to point out that Rin has not eaten in hours, we will need to break for her." Youkio lectured Inuyasha waving his finger as though he were one of Inuyasha tutors. He growled.

" she ate flies yapping with you this after noon, I don't want to waste time here with you ass holes." he snapped and tread on. They would be there by morning if he had anything to do with it

Souta was able to see the gates of the great city. There were more people then he had ever seen walking in and out of the city gates. It was nearly dark and they had arrived and were camping outside the walls, none of them had enough money to afford a room at the inns here. Souta was busy preparing the evening meal and watching as the slavers brought people into the city, there was a foreigner among them, she was taller then most women he had ever encountered, ripped with corded muscle, her skin and hair wear tanned naturally, but when she turned to observe her surroundings he was mesmerized by blue eyes.

" hmm, look at that one, I've never seen anyone like her, even among the foreigners," Miroku observed. " I'll guarantee that she will be an expensive item"

"how can you be so heartless?" Souta shouted catching the woman's eye, she pierced his soul and he found himself unable to move. Watching as if a statue Souta watched her overeer whip her across the back with a rod and berate her for stopping, she did not yell, or show any sign of fear, she merely took the beating and went on.

" we have to get her out of there." Souta turned on them.

" we have to mind our own business here, it is dangerous to get mixed up in other peoples affairs." Songo came up behind him and clapped him on the back. " Don't risk your life, before you get to do what ever it is that your here for, as for Miroku and I we have a few clients that we must meet on the morrow and a few contracts to see through.

" your bounty hunting here?" Souta asked, Miroku nodded,

" there is a hefty reward for the head of the demon gangs here in the capital, we are here to clean up and get paid, that will not be a problem? Will it?" she looked at him leveling and setting her challenge.

"no, I have things to tend to myself. We will part ways tomorrow then." he said shaking his head. Souta went to the other side of the fire and set out his bag so that he could try to get some sleep. But his mind was still reeling as though in a dream he felt himself get out of the warm fir that he had slept under for the past week and walked straight for the city that, though the night had begun to fall some time ago, was still very much alive. He passed though the gates unnoticed, there were still merchants in the square and the people filling to the sakke vendors, and the scummy red light district that shone like a red stain in the city. Souta was caught transfixed by the foreign world that he had never witnessed before. Stumbling he fell into the back of a by passer that happened in his path.

" learn some manners, boy. " a smooth female voice snapped at him, he looked up to be caught in a blue eyed stare, the woman that he had sighted earlier was standing before him looking down at him while holding a large crate.

" your a foreigner?" he said dumbly staring at her contrasting features. Her skin was darker then his own and she did not look like any human, or demon that he had seen before.

" you are observant, and, as you can see, I have things that I must see to. Excuse me." she pushed past him. Souta looked down at her bare feet the winter chill had barely passed the woman was garbed in strange firs and had her hair was light in color but fell in curls to her shoulders, the last thing that he noticed as she walked away was the chains that bound her feet together, spaced just so that she could walk and not run and hoined a group of women, leaving with them.

There isn't anything you can do about them," and old homeless man grumbled from his resting place by the wall of a nearby restaurant. Souta looked back to where he saw her last and could no longer see there through the night time crowd.

A little disheartened, he wandered the streets looking from shop to shop trying to get a feel for the place, when a hand shot out of the alley way and he was drug into the darkness. Flailing, he managed to bunch one of his assailants in the face. " oi, you brat, its to the pits with you. No one will miss a scruffy brat like you." the mans gruff hands wrapped around his neck and Souta was choked into darkness.

Inuyasha slammed through the trees, he could see the lights of the capital, he hadn't been there since he had become a half demon and felt some excitement as he smelled the familiar scents and people that he had known there in the court. He caught wind of an unexpected group outside of the city gates. Jumping through the branches to land on his feet, he walked into Miroku and Songos camping area and loudly announced his presence. " there were three scents here but I only find you two bums" he shook Miroku and caused him to hit him in the forehead with his staff. Inuyasha rubbed his fore head.

" it seems that our young friend has left us." he shrugged

" without taking his pack?" Songo pointed out shaking her head at her husband." he probably went into the city, its dangerous at night."

" I'll get him" Inuyasha snorted

Souta came awake being slammed to the ground and loosing his wind. He gasped and could not find his breath. Panicking he felt at the edge of passing out again. " calm down boy, there is nothing you can do now." the woman whispering over his pressed her hands to his chest and instructed him to raise his arms and take slow breaths. Feeling the blood rush fade into fuzz he was able to see his surroundings as his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

" where is this?" he asked seeing nothing but dark shapes and dirt walls.

" this is the pit, were all the salves are brought before auction" her voice was filled with bitterness and it caught him off guard.

" slaves- you mean I've been taken into slavery." he stammered.

" you have, look at your feet. Those irons make sure that you wont escape without the head owners permission." she pointed at the shackled that marked him as a slave, feeling a strange energy surrounding the metal he reached for the cuff and tugged only to find it unmovable. Souta closed his eyes and sighed regretting having sneaked out of the camp. He didn't think that the two humans would come after him so he had to figure out a way to escape and find the woman that killed his whole family. He slammed his fist into the dirt beside him.

"Tell you what, I have a friend that is coming for me, the slavers got a head start so it will take him some time, but I will not be here long, we'll cause enough havoc to wreck the place so you and a bunch of these people can get away. these chains are the problem." she lifted her ankle and smirked knowing the mayhem that she was planning.

" why would you do that I am a stranger." he said surprised.

" I am a stranger to this land, you are a stranger to this life. We both need to escape, and go home to our right places." she said cryptically and smiled he wondered how someone could smile when chained like an animal, but the fire in her eyes was visible even in the barely discernible light.

" What is your name?" ha asked looking at her.

" My name is Mira." she answered.

" I am Souta, don't you worry we will get out of here." he vowed to her and he noticed her blush and look away. She sat back against the dirt wall and he rested close but did not sleep.

Inuyasha wandered through the city with Youkio on his trail, " so Inuyasha, do you scent him yet." Youkio yawned and stretched trying to annoy him,

" shut it, I got something." He said and knelt down to smell the dirt where the boy had walked. The scent trailed off to the other side of the alley and then it changed. Alarmed he sniffed several more times and took off. The early morning light was more then enough for him to navigate through the city and he found himself on top of a paneled grate that held the boys, and several human scents. Hey Souta, are you in there." Inuyasha said through the grate. A black haired boy looked up at him and grasped the arm of a strange woman sitting beside him.

" who are you and how do you know my name." the boy challenged.

" I'm, Inuyasha, and I am here to get you out of here and get you to your sister." he said getting tired of just talking, flipped the grate with the tip of his finger he jumped down and grabbed the kid.

" Rin... is here?" Souta said shocked.

" nah, shes with my friends Miroku and Songo." he snapped and grabbed him. Souta shook his head and did a double take at the mention of

" we have to take Mira too. She offered to help me, I cant just leave here here." he pulled back in vain. The girl looked at the dog demon and he leveled with her.

" we can run but the chains are cursed, we cannot get away. You should go my companion will be coming for me soon" she said shaking her head.

" oh?" Inuyasha smirked, jumping up to the surface he sought out the slavers quarters. Like a ghost in the shadows, Inuyasha descended into the room. cracking his knuckles he cackled and grabbed all three men out of their beds with his hands. " which one of you is the head owner here." he flashed his fangs and tightened his grip on their necks. They struggled and his grip never loosened.

" i- ugggshsh" he choked, Inuyasha threw the two back to their beds and packed the head slave owner to the pits. Jumping down he threw the man to the ground and stood on his chest, pinning him to the ground and winding him at once.

" I hear that these chains are pretty special. I want you to release my friends, or ill snap your puny human neck." Inuyasha flexed his claws showing him that he meant every word.

" I cant; then all of them will be loosed." he stuttered turning red in the face. Inuyasha put more weight on his chest and the man gasped and tried to push his foot off to no avail.

" that's not my problem, you obviously want to die, I think ill make it slow." he cackled and the mans face paled as though he would be sick.

" no!... release, chains." he commanded. The room was filled with the metallic crunching that released the ankle and wrist shackles. Mira threw them down and gasped looking down at her scarred wrists. Looking up, Inuyasha grabbed Souta and he reached for her but she put her hand up.

Mira closed her eyes and was engulfed by fire, she jumped out of the pit and Inuyasha followed her. " you are a demon?" he asked not smelling the scent of demonic energy on her.

" half demon." she answered. Both men looked at her with a mixture of disbelief and awe, her flames were teal the same shade as her eyes, they surrounded her healing and restoring her to full energy. " the chains prevent any natural magic from becoming present, I am Mira fire demon. It is a pleasure to have met you" she said before flying into the distance


	8. Chapter 8

Rin was beside the fire with Tiki san on her shoulder. When Souta walked into the camp, she looked up and gasped, not really believing that it was her brother, the boy that she had been searching for all this time. " Souta?" she asked hoping, the crow demon flew into the tree above him and was a little overwhelmed and the boy was caught off guard by being greeted by a group of demons. The half demon walked into camp ahead of him and plopped down by himself at the edge of the group of people.

" Rin, it is me." he said stopping to wait for a reaction, the little girl launched forward and hugged him tightly around the middle. While the girl hugged him tightly Souta could not stop himself from turning to look at his parents.

" Souta," a deep male voice had got his attention. Turning fully he was face to face with his parents. Both Gin and Azura were unsure how their son would react but the boy grinned, relieved that he would not truly have to face the trials ahead alone. Pulling back from his sister he examined her. The little girl that he remembered was there smiling just as innocently as she had when she was a baby. He felt his throat tighten. He cleared his throat and patted her hair.

" mom, dad? How did you meet up with Rin?" he asked more then a little curious about the coincidences. He did not forget that the half demon had said that his own traveling companions were the Inu's friends. He was not one that believed in coincidence and too many things had fallen into place.

" I went looking for you, when I had the dream, I knew I just had to find you. So Inuyasha, Youki and I went looking. We came across them the day before yesterday." Rin answered delighted by the turn of events. All was going according to plan, they would all be together back at the palace soon enough.

Souta looked at his sister looking for another reason to why the band of demons had all come after him, with her. He felt a swell of pride in this heart and grinned from ear to ear. " I understand sister, it is time for us to go home." he said making Rin smile.

" home?" Rin and his parents said simultaneously, he nodded determined and went to sit on the ground by the fire. Rin followed him and took a seat next to him.

" yeah but I couldn't get anywhere in the city, and I could not even find the palace when i was in there. Its going to be difficult, but I know that the emperor will be here. The new years festival is in one week."

" Souta, what happened in the capital. Songo san and Miroku san said that you picked up and left in the middle of the night."

"that's easy, he followed a slave girl. Cant say I blame him I was his age once." Miroku smiled and then caught a fist in the back of his head. Inuyasha laughed aloud and Youkio, Tangu and Soutas' parents looked at him confused.

Souta was blushing but he did not deny it. " I was taken into slavery within my own home city. This has to end."

" hey kid, if you haven't noticed, this is not the place to mess around." Inuyasha grunted irritated at having to retrieve him. Souta frowned at the Inu hanyu.

" the pending war is the result of my families unfinished business. That means that I have to end this." Souta stood up. Inuyasha smirked and stood to approach the boy. Gin was about to take a step forward and Azura held his arm.

" you think you can stand up to who ever is behind all this?" Inuyasha snorted and pushed the kid back, he flew into a tree behind him and the crow demon flew to another tree nervously. Rin watched unfazed.

" Souta, Inuyasha means well, but hes saying that you cant take them on alone. We are here for you and we are going to help to end this all." Rin said lifting her chin with the surety in her voice. Souta looked around and blanched.

" Rin, you were such a scared child, how have you become so brave." he asked softening his features. Rin smiled proudly.

" its my lady Kagome that has taught me. Lord Sesshomaru says she is unruly but I find her pleasant-" Rin babbled and Inuyasha snickered at the truth of it. Souta smiled glad that she had people in her life that had loved her as well. Turning to look at his parents he confronted them for the first time since he had set off.

" mom, dad, I am sorry for leaving you behind." he apologized making his mother tear up.

" son you had to do what you had to. I cant hold that against anyone" he clapped his son on the shoulder and he smiled collapsing under the weight and stood back up.

The rest of the morning was spent in a frenzy of planning and catching up. Songo and Azura were becoming friends, bonding over their mutual fascination for hygiene. They went off to the springs to bathe while gin held the monk back by the cloth of his robes.

" don't you want to go too?" he turned on the man.

" I have spent decades and some years with my mate, she values her privacy." he grunted and Miroku slumped groaning at the unfairness.

Rin was napping beside Youkio, and Tangu was perched above her. Inuyasha lurked away from everyone watching the members of the group deciding weather or not he would leave them now.

" thank you." Souta walked up to Inuyasha. The hanyu twitched his dog ears and shrugged at him.

" I did my job, that's all, now don't get all emotional, that's one thing that I don't miss about humanity." He snorted. Souta wasn't fooled though and he laughed at the mans stubbornness.

" you saved me from failing before I had even started. I just wanted to find her, I did not have any idea that id be caught up as a slave. I haven't lived around humans much in my life, I wasn't expecting it, since I'm human too." he admitted trying to get some kind of understanding with the hanyu.

" that is what you get for being dumb as rocks. If you've been this long with out humans then forget them, they will kill you for the change in your purse. Remember that." Inuyasha said bitterly and turned to walk away.

the capital was unlike any place that Rin had ever been, the regret city was divided into four different districts around the palace, the housing, business, slave and the red light district. The streets were a breeding ground for crime and suppressed tyranny. The sword carrying enforcers walked the roadways slashing people down when the felt like it and accepted bribes in broad daylight calling it a tribute to the emperor. Common folk were mindless, so used to the constant chaos that they weren't even fazed by the odor of death and the sight of violence before their eyes. The slaved did as their ." masters bid. It was a cesspool of filth and disparage. Songo scouted the entrance still intent on taking out a few of her targets here. Turning conspiratorially with Inuyasha she rubbed her hands together.

" you know Inuyasha the offer still stands, you could help us with this, for a percentage" she said trying her best to convince him. Inuyasha shook his head.

" I ain't wasting my time, and I don't need money.." he insisted

" I bet Kagome could get you to do it." she smiled wickedly Inuyasha growled and stalked off.

" that ain't none of your business." he grumbled and took off into the forest to clear his head.

The shifty eyed kappa was ready when the slayer walked through his front door. Six guards were armed at the door and he sat haughtily on his feathered cushion.

" Jakken!" her shrill human voice shouted. The kappa shuddered already loosing his temper.

" that is lord Jakken to you. I am done telling you the next time you will be executed." he crossed his arms and glared angrily.

Songo snorted and walked through his kappa guard force and leaned to the kappa smiling confidently. " I have a lead on that thug you wanted. Hes here, right under your nose, toad. And there's part of me that thinks, you want him out of your back yard." she chuckled as the color drained out of the kappas face.

Coughing to regain his composure Jakken snapped his fingers and the guards backed off giving her a chance to back up and talk like an adult. "I have been warned that Sinji is back in the capital... " he started.

Grinning, Songo put her hand on her hip and put her weight on one foot. " I want twice the posted reward. To have him gone by tonight."

" what, that's robbery!" Jakken blanched counting up his gold pieces.

" that's my price, you know that I can take care of this... or you can trust some rookie with a wooden sword to keep you alive." she turned around and started to walk away.

" done! But only if you bring him to me tonight." Jakken stood up and halted her. She turned her face to him and smiled. Walking out into the sun Songo looked at her partner and husband and nodded.

" that's my Songo." Miroku laughed and both started down through the winding streets of the city to the market place. They had gotten an advantage by having known the criminal from another gang that had gone around the villages stealing people for the slave trade. The toad had some high stakes in the roadways through to some of those villages and had made an enemy with his uncontrollable mouth.

Walking with her mask already in place Songo draped a cloak over the leather of her slaver outfit. her sward was concealed with her hand rested on the hilt Miroku smiled and made a diversion flirting with the merchant women that was close to the place they had spotted Sinji's scaly face through the crowd. He was striding toward the tavern with a mace strapped to his back. Songo smiled feeling the thrill of the hunt flowing through her. Stealthily she walked behind him and opened a vile from here pouch to distort the snake demons scent of smell.

Sinji turned into the smoke filled tavern and walked to the back putting his back to a wall. He slammed his fist to the table when the serving wench brought him a cup of Sakake and she flinched used to the abuse from the thugs of the underground. Sinji had been in there before and the girl was used to dodging the cups thrown at her when she irritated him. Bowing quickly she backed out of range and retreated to the kitchens to tell the boss that he had arrived earlier then expected.

The greasy cook stepped out of the kitchens as the door opened to receive a small grow of wretches from the streets. He tried not to look any of them in the eyes as he passed going directly to the serpent at the back of the bar. He waited, with his still crimson eyes fixed on him.

" Sinji, your early." he tried to keep his voice steady but the fear in his scent made the snake demon smirk and stand.

" you are stalling. I want the money you owe me for the last job I did for you." the snake hissed in his face making the man glance around. There was no one close enough to hear but a cloaked beggar that mumbled to herself nonsense, obviously mentally ill.

" shh. I have the money, but I need time to get it together." he hushed him

Songo listened closely, the barkeep was in on it too? She counted up the figures in her mind and she nearly rejoiced thinking about the money they were sure to collect for this. Giddily she nearly cheered getting some strange looks through her disguise. Though everything was going according to plan so far. The door opened and admitted a now staggering monk that leaned heavily on his staff though his drunken state.

" Are you out of Sake here too?" he called out, earning hateful glares from the people sitting around the tavern. He slovenly sat at the other end of the table that the old beggar was mumbling to herself at and then he ordered another drink waving his hand at the waitress. She reluctantly came offer with a cup and deadpanned his leer.

" sir I require money in advance for service." she said monotone trying to keep her emotions hidden. He smiled drunkenly and nodded

" you don't think im good for it, My pretty, I would like you to know that I always pay up." he handed her a couple of coins for the drink. She took it and sneered at him disgusted.

Songo clenched her fist and tried to restrain herself from smacking him while he downed his drink. By the third drink the waitress was denying him service and he was making a scene until the owner himself came over to ask him to leave. Songo got up as though avoiding the commotion and retreated to the back table close to Sinji.

" ass hole." she grumbled as she sat down and began to mutter crazily again. The snake scented her but he could not get the smell of perfume worn by geisha out of his nostrils. He sneezed and shook his head. The drunk was beginning to annoy him with his obnoxious attitude. He looked up and caught the monks eye.

" demon! There's a demon here. Let me banish the filthy creature." Miroku staggered over and reached into his robe to get out a sutra.

Sinji smirked at the invitation to fight and stood up. Songo withdrew her blow dart and aimed for his neck launching her poison into the side of his neck. " what the-" Sinji slapped his hand to his neck and threw the empty dart down and flipping the table. Songo jumped up and drew her sword as Miroku sobered and held his staff ready to fight.

Standing off with the snaked demon Songo lunged forward twirling over him and landing in a strike position with he hand on the hilt of her sword as Miroku swung his staff towards his head. The snake dodged backing to the wall and hissing. He was nearly delirious with the poisons that flowed through his veins. It was burning him from the inside and causing him terror to the quick. Backed to a corner, he lashed out pushing the monk off of his feet and causing him to fly backwards through the tabled that were rapidly clearing. People rushed into the streets eager to get away. The owner gaped and clenched his fists watching his lively hood destroyed. He grabbed the monk by his robe and drug him off the tabled and punched him in the face. Miroku groaned on impact but twisted out of the mans hold reversing the position and trapping him. Songo was busy with the snake dancing through his guard and slamming the hilt of her sword into his face and neck stunning him slightly for the final poison. Songo uncorked her acid powder and blew it into the snakes face making him shriek in agony. Taking aim she flattened her blade and brought the sword across his neck beheading him. Grabbing the head she bagged it in her knapsack and watched as the demon turned to dust in before her eyes.

grinning at Miroku she motioned for him to bring the barkeep and they went to collect their reward.

Rin and Souta eagerly went through the city streets she tucked away a small bauble she had purchased trading her hair ribbon that she had used to tie her side ponytail the vender had said that the silk used to make it was rare enough to cover the cost, Souta had offered to haggle for it back but she had just shook her head and went on. They knew that Inuyasha was their above them watching in case they got kidnapped again, but together, they seemed to get a little less attention playing the brother and sister, touring through the ancient capital. Rin was enamored by all the things there, looking for souvenirs for their demon companions. Souta marveled at her thinking how selfless that she seemed to be.

" do you want anything here?" he asked searching for something to make his her happy, but she shook her head nonchalantly.

Rin smiled . " My lord will get these things for me, if I so desire." she said sliding her hands down the silk fabric. " lady Kagome would love this color green with pink trim."

" Rin kun, are you really the western lords ward?" Souta said shocked, Rin nodded smiling thinking about her lord.

" yes, lord Sesshomaru, is my guardian."she said honestly Souta mused again at how fortunate his sister had been to find people that cared about her as he did.

Walking out of that shop they both headed out of he city to their place of camp Inuyasha met them on the road and walked ahead of them back. Youkio and Azura were staring at each other, Youki looked rather angry while Azura was giddy with amusement. Gin was not where to be seen.

" Tiki san? I found this for you?" Sun said looking for the crow demon.

" the bird took off, back to the palace. He said that he had work to get to and he'd be back later." Youkio answered her, glad to get away from the water demoness. She was antagonizing him relentlessly and he was nearly to the point of bolting.

" Youki san." Rin ran up and handed him a small parcel. He frowned and looked at the wrapped box carefully.

" this is for me?" he looked at the little girl.

" yes, you just had to have it, Youkio." she said looking dreamily at the blue ice pendant that had caught her attention. Youki smiled at her compassion and placed the pendant around his neck.

" thank you Rin I will protect it with my life." he vowed kneeling at her eye level. Rin giggled.

" Youki san, you say the silliest things; _of cores,_ if it was between your life and the pendant, I hope that you choose your life." she hugged him jumping in his back and holding on as he stood up and packed her back to the rest of the group.

Hitomi stood in the shade of her guards fan, Sakake was bored wilting in the noon day heat. Sesshomaru stood firmly in place expanding his aura and concentrating it to sense every movement in his surroundings.

" oi Sesshomaru count the number of creatures by species, gender, and age of the surrounding insects" Hitomi groaned, Sesshomaru twitched, this had carried on for two days of his remaining week she had tested the limits of his senses honing him to a constant state of alertness. He obliged though it annoyed him how slow that she was teaching him. During his training he had not gained strength, only perception, irritated he lusted for battle. His father had always taught him that the best way to learn to fight was to fight. This was not the case here.

He recounted all that he could scenes and she shrugged unimpressed. " that is good if your only listening t the surface." Hitomi crossed her arms.

" enough of this, I will test you randomly if you fail to properly answer you will be required to fight me in combat each time until you either answer correctly or beat me." she said drawing a ribbon out of her kimono and tying her hair back.

" shall we fight now?" Sesshomaru asked opening his eyes and smirking.

"yes, that was the deal" she stood from her throne and walked over to him. Sesshomaru was on his feet and stood in his ready stance looking for an opening. Hitomi did not make so much as a sound as she stalked over to him he expertly assessing everything about him. She smirked. " not a bad technique, I can tell that your father taught you to fight? But Sesshomaru, will it be enough?" she smirked and tapped her chin thoughtfully. Her angelic features slid into an amused smile.

" I am ready to fight?" he said determined. Hitomi grinned and nodded. He closed his eyes and spread his aura to sense her.

" ah good, Sesshomaru, in that you've improved." she commented fondly.

Sesshomaru saw a slight drop in her guard as she doted on him, and lunged she disappeared and he stopped searching for her aura but he sensed nothing. Turning his head slightly Hitomi's leather boot clubbed him across the cheek and scent him through the rock face that they had been practicing by.

Laughing Hitomi leaned into his crater and poked his face. " yo Sesshomaru, how many brids flew over head when we were fighting?" she asked

" seven." he said sitting up.

"wrong, two scattered, three are hiddedn and five flew over head to watch before flying away when you hit the rock. Lets go. And pay attention, I will be asking questions randomly and during a fight every wrong answer is ten free hits for me." she smiled.

Sesshoamru got up indignantly and got into his ready stance for the next battle. Determined he was not going to loose this. He would master no only his senses but fighting a demon of this caliber. He was ready

in the cold of the high mountains a white figure stepped out onto the snow covered grass, not making a sound as he descended. Land traveled below him quickly giving way to different looking terrain.

" oh, old man, wait for me." a ginger haired boy called transforming from a bird and popping back into his natural form.

" do not follow me to where I am going." the white haired man said closing his eyes and walking past the adolecent fox. " I asked you to check out the lead I gave you."

" lord touganoumaru, I have not forgotten, there are very _secretive_ people protecting that information. Also, my human contacts are getting less and less willing to talk to me, tensions are mounting between demons and humans." Shippo reported and bowed. " Sensai, I have a message from the western palace." he informed his master.

" from Sesshomaru?" Touganoumaru was surprised to hear from his son at all.

" no, it is a low level demon working in the palace for Rin. He has informed me, that Lord Sesshomaru has been formally challenged by the demon council, for the title, and he has been undergoing training from his grand mother, Lady Hitomi." Shippo handed over his information to his trusted mentor. Touganoumaru nodded accepting what he had said. He would know if the boy were lying, but he wasn't, he was trained to be his perfect spy and assassin. It had taken some convincing but he had gotten Shippo to work for him and leave the palace and lands behind for their journey. The boy was good. Had potential to be a great fighter and illusionist. He had begun to earn a reputation among assassins. He was quick efficient and always got his job done.

" I see, she has taken him under her wing, that was to be expected." he nodded rubbing his knuckles against his chin. He turned back to his direction of travel and continues forward.

"sensai are we going to go go home? There is no one there taking care of the lands." shippo ran after him.

" it is not my job, he will take care of the things that I have left him with. I have other things to do at this time." Touganoumaru answered finally looking back at the teen fox. Shippo was in wonder but accepted his masters will. For years, he has had the same goal, there was nothing anyone could do to stop him from it, not even his own sons fate. Shippo thought back to his child hood in the village with _his_ Kagome, there life had been so different, but when he had awakened everything changed, he was independent and no longer required Kagome to survive, she had cried when he had told her that he was leaving to follow Touganoumaru but Lord Sesshomaru had interceded for him, in a sense. He had simply distracted her and told him to leave before she came back, he had done the best to show her that he did love her and had left her a note among his things, but, he could not imagine her being happy about it still. Shivering at the inescapable guilt for leaving as he did, Shippo looked toward the future as he tailed his mentor and teacher.

Touganoumaru looked up into the distance and spotted the peak of the charred volcano, he smiled sensing that he was close to another breakthrough. hastening his pace Touganoumaru jumped into the air and soured through the air to the ledge where he landed.

" oi!" Shippo cried as he jumped and poofed into a pink cloud that slowly hovered toward the peak his master had just headed towards. Grumbling about going home Shippo followed with determination. He was meant to see everything in this world through the shadows and the underground, nothing would get by him he would be sure. Kagome would have to wait a while longer.

The ocean waved crashed lightly against the sand of the Japanese cost, Mira closed her eyes and felt for the distinct aura of her partner. He was close she could tell, but the last days have been spent in vain, she had come no closer to finding him.

Behind her she heard someone stalking her, he had been for a while but he was no concern of hers. She sighed as he stepped out into the open thinking that it was her time to fear. Mira rolled her head working the tense muscles of her neck an readying for what was to come.

"Oh, you've decided to make yourself known?" she said looking the man in the eyes. He smirked not seeing her as a threat and walking right to her. She was still, unfazed.

" I don't see any one waiting for you, are you alone?" he smiled giving her the creeps.

" Yes." she smiled. He was caught off guard but recovered, he was a human, she knew that he was no threat, in the setting sun she was not far from her power and the feel of her partners aura was hastening toward her. " you are no though." she observed looking at the band of bandits in the shadows.

" Then you see what your position is here, be a good girl and don't fight. If you behave then we might let you live through the night." he smirked waving his foot men over and grabbing her by the forearm.

" I don't think you understand your position here, human. There is no prayer that _you_ will live through the night. Be ready to die." she said to him before her aura spiked the sun disappeared behind the crashing waves and she exploded with blue fire. The bandit screamed for a second before he was charred to dust.

The men behind him took a step back cursing her demon side, but she was far to angry now from their idiotic threats to let any of them escape. Sending her flames out to consume then she let her anger burn and then extinguished her flames as though they had never been.

" men." Mira dusted off her arm and stretched. In the ocean she heard the keen of a great beast. Looking up she smirked. " here at last Goliath?" she called as the great black beast surfaced and shook the water from his sleek fur. The fire hound that Mira called to her was twice her height and as black as coal, his white teeth bared back in a snarl. He sat down beside her, and sniffed her apologetically. Rubbing his nose she affectionately reunited with her beast. His wet fur stunk and she blew hot win over him to dry him off. He shook his fur and circled letting her work and wagged his tail in gratitude. Waving him to follow she get off for the forest.

"Mira, have we located the blacksmiths brother?" Goliath asked following at her side, she looked over to his aging face and put her hang on the side of his neck.

"No, I was taken into slavery by the humans on the mainland, they sent me here. But, I believe that we will have better luck here. I can feel the warmth from his fires, cant you?" she asked the canine whined low not wanting to guess. The fires had been hot in three places before this that held no trace of the old man.

" I sense something happening here, is there unrest with the humans?" Goliath observed thinking as he sniffed the currents of aura that had lead them to this place. She nodded assenting to his keen instincts.

" yes there is war here. But, there is also a great amount of power. I believe that this is where we should be right now. What about you?" she challenged wondering what his response would be. Goliath rolled his red eyes and snorted.

" Master told me to keep you alive. I will stay if you are." he answered. She smiled and patted his side. Goliath snarled at her with mischief in his eyes. " ...also, master has a great feast awaiting my arrival home. We must return in order to collect." he mused thinking of all the delicacies that he craved. Mira snorted, she loved the old dog, he had been with their family far before her birth; he had been saved as a pup as her father had ventured into the fire mountains to gather metals for his first swords. He was massive even in their world and had seen more days then most of his race. He was strong and brave but he had been crippled as a pup and limped on his back leg. This had made him cunning and fierce.

" you are getting fat." she pointed out Goliath cantered a few steps and shook his fur.

" you think so?" he asked hopefully. " this old dog deserves to be fat after looking after you these last months." he snorted and walked ahead of her. " we must find shelter, the rains are coming." he doubled back for her and scooped her up on to his back flipping her with his nose. Mira held on tightly as her beast sucked in a huge breath of air and heat radiated through his skin. His fir changed to red and ember at the ends of the shaggy tufts as his fur changed to fire and he jumped into the sky walking on the steam that changed to hot air beneath his body. They traveled east, Mira was determined, she had heard tales of a dragon demon in the mountains of the northern tip of the island. She would go.

" So that's where these things are. Rin these were dads!" Souta said grinning excitedly. He made a fist determined, " I will not let his gifts be in vain. We will fulfill our fathers dream. Are you ready?" he looked at her with fire in his eyes. He was determined as the thought of gaining his fathers honer and their families name back. Rin shrugged and nodded.

Youkio twitched and came to his mistresses side she smiled and looked back at her brother. Souta stood and looked around at their party. He slapped the side of his neck feeling a sharp pain. " Master Souta what is your plan of action?"

" You again? I thought you left when I got taken?" Souta grabbed the flea. Inuyasha growled and came to sniff the creature.

" You have been the one sucking my blood!" he snapped at the flea.

" may I say master Inuyasha that your blood is delicious." he scratched the nape of his neck. Inuyasha grabbed at him to crush him but he jumped away landing on Souta. " the statement still stands. There is no doubt now that you are the heirs to the empire, you want to restore your family because it is your right and responsibility. I will ask again what is your plan of action master Souta?" the flea challenged outright. He had been with them secretly through the whole thing and from what he could see there was an inevitable war in their future. He just hoped that they would choose to fight before they were casualties of the empires wrath.

" we will talk to the emperor." Souta said. " once we challenge him in open court everyone will know that we are alive, after that we will take back what has been lost to us. I know that during the New Years festival will be the perfect time. With so many people in the capital we could hide in plain sight while we make our move."

" No." Youkio said sharply. " Rin will have no part of this plan"


	9. Chapter 9

Inuyasha walked around the camp watching the mixed matched bunch of humans and demons that united under the hope of Rin and Souta validity as the rightful heirs of the empire. He shook his head thinking of his Rin as an actual princess and her squirt of a brother as the rightful emperor. He scratched his head and wondered what would happen next.

It had been three days since Youki had refused Souta plan to infiltrate the palace. Inuyasha thought the idea was also impulsive but the kid had guts and he would need it in order to confront the serving emperor. The current serving emperor inherited the empire from his father who assassinated the last emperor. The family had only been in power for his life time, before that, it had been passed between warring council members that had once been apart of the great emperors most trusted advisers and representatives.

" oi, bird brain," Inuyasha reached up and pulled the tail feathers of the crow demon, he squeaked and gripped the limb so not to be thrown to the ground.

" lord Inuyasha, what is it? May I be of service?" Tangu said a little hesitantly.

Yeah I want you to look around the palace to see if you can find any thing that may be of use to the situation." he said " keep your eyes open" the crow nodded and took to the sky.

" smart Inuyasha, you do have some brains beneath all that hair." Youkio commented.

" Inuyasha, the boy is not prepared for what is in store for him." Miroku said walking up to them and joining there impromptu meeting.

" the boy is nothing, it is Rin that has the power, she is still a child and does not need to rush into death before she is strong enough to over come it." Youkio said.

" It sounds like you want her to fight. You wont fight for her?" Inuyasha spat getting angry at the cats superiority complex.

" of cores I will, but only if that is her will." Youkio snapped back not willing to be called a coward. "We have been waiting for the return of the one leader that would reunite the demons and humans. The great leader lived with us in harmony and all the years of his reign demons and humans coexisted peacefully." Youkio lectured, justifying himself indignantly.

" ya ya that was a little before my time old man, I know one thing fore sure the scent of chaos is stirring in the city walls and there is about to be an explosion. I want to be far away from here when it happens.

The rest of the day was spent in idle activities. Songo and Miroku came and went into the city bringing information about people arriving for the celebration. There was a buzz throughout the city and everyone seemed to be anticipating something magnificent for this years celebration.

It was hour before they saw the crow demon winging back to the camp landing with style in a low hanging branch close to Rin. He withdrew a flower from his pouch and presented it to Rin. " my lady, I have found something akin to your beauty." Rin smiled and placed it behind her ear.

" yeah yeah bird. What do you have for us." Inuyasha strode forward and demanded the crow to obey him Tangu plumed his feathers and shook indignantly.

" well yes, there is a wedding that is being planned. It seemed that the emperor is planing on marrying the mysterious woman that has been sighted going on outings with him in the past several months. The city is being prepared for the announcement dinner and the celebration that is going to follow the standard new years festival.

But, I saw something else while I was flying over the kitchens, I noticed that there were more guards on duty then in the previous three days, the streets are also being filled with solders."

" hmm on one hand the city is anticipating two great celebrations, but there is also more solders in the palace and city. This could be a security measure." Miroku observed he looked into the distance toward the city gates and looked at the procession of people traveling in and out of the capitol. Inuyasha turned and looked at Souta who was busy practicing sword techniques with his adopted father. Inuyasha sighed.

On the side of the inu clans mountain, laid out in a crater oddly in the shape of a man, Sesshomaru felt a disturbance close by, at that point he laid on the ground bleeding from several lacerations and he marveled at the emerald color of his blood, and the way that is melted every organic matter in contact with it. Hitomi had shown him poison claws today. His body would not die by poison, that was a natural immunity for him, but the paralysis and pain was keeping him from standing back up.

"One more round." Hitomi smiled flexing her claws. Sesshomaru nodded and stood ignoring the broken bones of his ribs, and the pain in his chest wounds. " use your poison, I will not be fazed by such a small attack." she shrugged and readied for another round.

Drawing his aura to focus on his hands he found the poison to be close to the surface but difficult to tap into, she had been ripping flesh from his body for hours, instructing and testing him he was close to unlocking the power but his grandmother was merciless. Charging, he noticed her fade to the right and anticipated her movement shooting his claws to her arm and catching her , throwing his power into launching her to the ground he slashed with his other hand to finish her off but his claws sliced air.

" Ha." Hitomi barked a laugh. And shoved her hand through his chest, she gave his heart a squeeze "oh, so you do have one. I was sure it would be made of ice." she threw him to the ground and flung the blood from her claws. "enough, I do not desire to dirty my cloths with blood." she walked over him and stepped past him.

Sesshomaru coughed blood and could not find the will to stand. Sakake approached him and he growled Farrell from the pain that shot through his body. Sakake backed up and left him alone. He was beginning to hate the old woman. He felt the ground beneath him melt away from the poison seeping from his chest. He was injured more then he had been since he had first become demon. He stood. Numbly, he walked after his grandmother. She was casually walking toward the tribe she looked back at him over her shoulder.

" You may rest until tomorrow. Go and see the healer." she said before taking off. Sakake stayed with him at a distance and Sesshomaru ignored him. He would not go. There was no one who would touch him while he was as injured as he was. He prepared to leave for the stream at the base of the mountains to heal, alone. He was sure that by the morning he would be healed enough to continue training.

Kagome was struggling to fall asleep. She was restless and felt sharp pains ache though she knew that she was not injured. The days work had been rudimentary the morning assembly and the shrine purification had taken up most of the day. The head priestess lay in her bed across the room. The night was quiet aside from the soft baying of the wild dogs. The priestess had shown her the way that spiritual magic could be used to contact the spirit realm. She had practiced for hours with little success. She had been given comfort that when the spirits called she would be able to answer. They had worked on it until the night had long since fallen. Struggling to sleep Kagome sat up tired.

_Kagome._ She heard Sesshomaru's voice in her head. Shaking her head she looked around the room and saw only darkness. Closing her eyes she felt for his presence. She found nothing. Getting up Kagome walked to the door and went out to the grounds. Her heart was racing and she didn't know where she was going but as she walked she could not help but feel a tug. A connection that pulled her into the forest and to the mountains. She held no fear of the forest or the night. Traveling in the moon lit path, Kagome came to a stream, there was an aura of danger there, but it was not meant for her and she passed through.

Sesshomaru could not believe his fortune when Kagome came to him out of the darkness of night. He laid by the river, barely able to move, but keeping his aura dangerous enough so that none would dare intrude on his healing time. Though weakened, he was able to dispatch any low level demon of priestess.

Kagome looked around not seeing him at firs with her inferior sight but he caught her eye and she rushed over worried. He put his hand up to silence her before she started worrying him to death. "this one is going to live." he said trying to calm her. Kagomes' scent was tinted with fear for him.

Taking a breath Kagome laid her hands on him. " let me-" she said brushing his bangs back from his face and checking his temperature. " your cold." she observed and closed her eyes to heal him. Sesshomaru was not ready for the pain that shot through his body. Her magic touched his wounds like a hot iron, and his bones and skin began to repair its self. He closed his eyes trying to hold the groan that threatened to escape his lips. "I'm sorry, I know it hurts." she sat back and let him breath. He was not completely healed. There were lacerations that refused to heal and festered with poison. He struggled to maintain his facade of control though he knew that she saw through it. It was important to recover quickly from this. He knew with the old woman's training. she was preparing him for the future wars and battles that he would fight. He was _meant_ to live through this.

Kagome sat with him through the night and tended his injuries, he urged her to return to her shrine but she ignored him, and he had no energy to enforce his will. He sweated out the poisons and fell into sleep she shook her head at how stubborn that he was. He would rather die then to appear weak even to her. Sighing she brushed the hair back from his face and sat watching. She had erected an aura barrier to alert her to any intruders. She was sure that with the training she was doing that she could hold off a moderate demon, but knowing her husband he would fight though he was injured to protect her. She hoped that they would just be left alone, and as the hours passed she diligently tended to him and scanned the area.

Kagome smiled to herself over his recovering form, it had been a while since she had felt like a medicine woman. Being in the shrines, she had learned the ranges of her abilities with people, spiritual energy, the flow of energies, and she had even began to teach the other girls some medicinal herbs and potions. But, it was not the same as being the healer as she had been in her village, years before. In her mind, she thought back to a pair of emerald green eyes that had become more dear to her then almost any other person in her life.

Slamming her hand on the ground. Kagome growled and muttered to herself about the unfairness of her adopted sons departure. She knew that it was _his_ fault. She had appreciated her father-in-law but the devious, manipulation, that he had used to steal Shippo from her, caused her to want to take a swing at him herself.

Behind her she felt a hand on her back turning and seeing Sesshomaru's half lidded eyes she grasped his and and forgot about her anger towards her father-in-law and adopted son. " Kagome your thinking about the kitsune again." he said not pleased to be wakened by her turbulent scent and emotions.

Kagome gaped. " how did-"

" Your anger is burning this ones nose." he wrinkled his nose and frowned slightly. Kagome slumped and shook her head. "come and sit with me." he said and shifted so that when she sat beside him he rested his head on her folded legs.

" Your right, your father will take care of him." she said halfheartedly, her anger spiked at the mention of Touganoumaru.

" Put him out of your mind." Sesshomaru said and closed his eyes. Kagome sighed but did as she was asked. Maybe one day, she could return to the life that she had wanted from the start. Feeling lost, Kagome closed her eyes and envisioned herself in her herb garden at home tending to the sick among her people with Rin, and Shippo learning the trade from her. That was nice, but some how, she knew it was now a pipe dream. Life for them would never go back; the lust for power and strength that her husband wanted, and even her own powers were changing them so that going back seemed a more distant and dimmer dream.

Hitomi scented the mountain side, her grandson had not sought the healer that the tribe had relied on for centuries. She groaned at the stubbornness of her head. She felt like giving up on him, he was more trouble then he was worth snapping her fingers she called Sakake to her. " Would you find that boy he is late for his next lesson.

Sakake nodded prepared to look wherever his mistress desired. He took off scenting the area and locating the blood trail that the pup had foolishly left for whomever wished to find him. Sakake landed on the ground close to the stream and walked to the bank where he could see is target and his wife sitting against the rocks.

Kagome looked up at him as soon as he passed the barrier that she had laid. Sakake bowed respectfully to her and she nodded understanding that he asked her permission to approach. He came over to look at Sesshomaru's sleeping form. " my lady this is basic training for Inu. He must be taught-" he started but Kagome put her hand up to stop him.

" I understand, there is no ill will in my heart toward you. I know that he must go through these things in order to become stronger." she looked back at his sleeping face and, marveled at how young that he looked, he seemed no older then her, and like her, he was just starting to understand who and what he was. Glancing back at Sakake she noticed that he seemed to be thinking the same thing.

" my lady, this will be resolved. He is strong enough. There is no one left from the old days to give him a fight. He has the blood of his grandfather in him." Sakake said comforting her. Kagome nodded accepting this and trying to look positively at the situation. She had never seen him so hurt. He had always outmatched most of the opponents that he had that she had only to see to minor wounds. This night she had watched him fight for the rest that he was able to get, to repair his vital functions.

Sakake read the worry in her face. Clearing his throat he pointed out something that he had been wondering about since he had arrived. " how did you find him here. He is a half mile from your shrine. Even if he had called to you, I would have heard it before you would have. How did you get here?"

Kagome considered this carefully. " I just knew that he needed me. That's all." she said. Sakake stepped toward her and took her by the arms.

Sesshomaru stood out of his sleep and growled half cognitive, Sakake released her and he sagged falling back to his place at the base of a large tree. Sakake nodded his suspicions confirmed. Sesshomaru looked at him through half lidded eyes and beckoned his mate to him. Kagome leaned closer and he pulled her to his chest still trying to keep her from being taken by Sakake. Kagome tried to get him back to sleep whispering soothing things to him until he was calm.

Sakake stepped back aware that he was out of his mind with the wounds inflicted. He was not sorry there was going to still be beatings far worst then this in his future, if he didn't strengthen up he'd die. He was still a pup in so many ways. Sakake turned to leave them he would need to report his findings to his mistress.

" Good bye, my lady." he bowed and jumped into the trees racing back to his home. Hitomi was still waiting for him in her tent. Sitting atop her throne examining a scroll that was given to her by an ambassador of the capital. She glanced at him.

" So?" Hitomi raised a brow. " ...is he dead, or not?"

" No... my lady... He is sick though, and has apparently called his mate to him to heal the wounds he had sustained. He refuses to use our healer and only trusts the care of his mate, apparently" Sakake reported.

" So he didn't die? Oh that is good. I filled him with enough poison to kill three Inu elders. That means that he has the endurance to grow beyond this, that means a lot of power to manipulate within him." Hitomi calculated the hours until the council meeting and smiled almost giddy.

" You meant to kill him my lady?" Sakake questioned forgetting her short temper. Hitomi glared at him.

" Of cores I knew he would survive!... but if he _had_ died, it would have just proven that he was not good enough to inherit our bloodline, and the titles of his grandfather." she scoffed and placed her hands on her hips triumphantly.

Sakake blanched. " Yes mistress, you are wise." he sweated thinking of the battles to come with Sesshomaru.

Many miles away, scurrying through the elegantly veiled chamber entrance in the Emperors palace, a servant shook with anticipation. The Emperor had been entertaining a woman of high stature from overseas, and she was rumored to be among the most powerful and beautiful women in the known world. He quivered, thinking about how beautiful she would be, it was his first chance to see her since she had first visited from overseas.

" Enter." came the emperors strong command. The servant perked up and stepped forward eagerly to wait in them. He kept his eyes on the ground serving them perfectly as he was taught and took a sneaked glance at the woman as he poured her tea.

Her skin was paler then moonlight at the hem of her sleeve were her hand sat folded on her knees. Her wrists were slim tiny things that appeared frail and lovely, before he could gaze upon her face he burned himself with the hot water. Bowing nervously he apologized and backed away.

" It is your desire to look upon this one." Misaka smiled her voice was smooth and crisp like the song of the breeze through wind chime and caught his attention spellbound, but he dared not look. Yet.

" It is not for a lowly servant to look upon one such as yourself. I had heard rumors of your beauty... punish me, for taking such liberties" he begged afraid of the wrath of the emperor who had sat by watching.

" Be gone there is nothing for you here. Go alert the city guard that I need to see the captain before he retires for the night. Tell him I must discuss tomorrows plans. He will understand." the emperor waved his hand sending the quivering lad out of the room. It was only a moment before Hoska was tapping on the door. He came in bowing and paid his respects before turning to Misaka.

" Hoska, what have you found out about the demon elders. What do they say to our purpose of generously allowing them to reside within the districts that we had negotiated." the emperor Soujo said looking at his captain interested. The man blanched so he assumed hat the news was as expected.

" The men of our messaging party were killed by the leader, an elemental with incredible ability. He is called "rolling thunder" by the demon council. We were no match." Hoska reported shamefully he remembered the heavy boot that had rested on his chest when he had been allowed to return with his response. " you tell that emperor of yours that no demon under my supervision will be locked in a camp. We have only answered to one human. You could never contain us with out destroying yourselves."

The emperor was not happy, and sat forward with his elbows on his knees resting his forefingers against his lips. He wanted to scream and burn down the entire demon council. He bitterly thought of the white haired half demon that he had encountered those years ago. He had gone to there shrines to pray before the winter festival.

Three years ago...

_A black haired woman was working in the fields when he walked up through the gate of a small shrine. He had been visiting the country side in disguise to get a more accurate view of his empire. He had watched as the maiden had been distracted by a demon sprite that had jumped from behind one of the plants that she had been harvesting. The small creature had bowed and started dancing and entertaining her while he was stealing food. He stopped and watched captivated by the ease that the woman interacted with the demon. He had always found their supernatural powers and deviousness to be disturbing. But watching this human girls was like seeing demons through new and wondrous eyes._

_He had gone on to the temple after that smiling he was looking forward to the evening ceremony and seeing her. To his dismay he found that she held a lowly part of the shrine and had only minimal duties in the shrine. But when he saw her walk out of the temple and go out towards the rice patties he thought that he would follow her._

_She stood on the walkway and stared at the moon as he was about to approach her a red flash blurred past him and landed next to her on the wooden path. _

_The woman turned to the demon and smiled seeing his pale skin and long white hair with inhuman dog ears. He took a step forward read to reveal himself and fight the demon off but what he saw next caught him off guard. The woman grasped the mans hands and smiled lovingly. The demon presented her with a gift and departed. His eyes narrowed and he watched her open the parcel with affection clear on her face withdrawing a necklace he watched as she put it on and waved after him telling him that she would see him again. Stepping out onto the platform he coughed and made himself known. The strange woman turned and had no shame in her eyes for having interacted so familiarly with a demon._

" _Excuse me was he bothering you I can alert the city guard to his presence we could have his head by the end on the night." he said confidently. The woman furrowed her brow disapprovingly and shook her head. _

" _That will not be necessary." she said and began to walk away. He reached forward and grabbed her out of reflex no one dare turn their back on the emperor on fear of death. Out of no where the demon reappeared and took him to the ground_

" _Hey ass hole don't touch her." The dirty inu demon snarled, and ground his filthy bare foot into his robes. He tried to draw his sword but the demon sliced him across the face stunning him and making him still. " you get this through your head human. This woman is under my protection. Touch her and die." he said and nodded for her to walk away the woman glanced down and him angrily and he blushed shamed and humiliated in front of such a beautiful woman. He watched her leaved and looked up at the demon who stared at him._

" _You will die for this. You don't know who I am. I could have you slaughtered. All of you." he grasped for strength and started seeing stars as his breath was being forced out of his lungs._

" _Stop talking out of your ass you humans are all the same wanting to slaughter us. Big deal. When it comes down to it you cant touch us." he sneered and ground his heal in harder to make his point._

_Feeling defeated he stilled and composed himself to die. " I have lost to you, now kill me for I cannot bear the shame." he demanded thinking about his councilors at home they would groom another emperor and avenge him. He was at peace with this. He could die with the vision of that woman's beautiful face in his mind as his life slipped away _

_The demon looked down ant him and he knew that his life was forfeit. Gasping and struggling he blacked out ._

" _Sir. Emperor. Are you alright." he awoke to his guards ugly face. _

" _Hoska." he grumbled getting up off the dock his guard had brought his company and he was surrounded by his men. " a demon attacked me." he said recalling the demon but not wanting to reveal the woman that he had been following. He would find her again and she would pay for choosing a demon over her emperor._

" _Shall we kill him?" he said ready to search the forest with his men. _

" _No. don't bother. We will re establish this territory and stop the demons by driving them into the sea." anger boiled in his stomach. He was taken back to the capital his journey cut short. He bitterly recounted the scenes leading to that incident over again in his mind. Feeling the force of the demons weight had been like trying to push back a wall with his bare hands. Why had he let him live, thinking about it he would have killed that demon if he had been given the chance. He slammed his fists down on the table frightening his servants that waited on him. That demon had to die. All of them would die. They had been out of control for over a hundred years. Three generations of oppression and terror. They answered to no one, fought amongst themselves and controlled the lands in a way that he could not even dream of. The power was tantalizing if he could eliminate demons then he could gain the real power over the country and move on to the other continents. _

" _Excuse me." a woman's voice interrupted his thinking and he looked up annoyed. Standing before him was a woman with dark hair and pail skin, that almost looked translucent, they contrasted with her blood red lips that stretched into a sly smile. He sat back and waited to see what she wanted._

" _What has brought you to test your emperors patience today... Where are my guards and how did you get in here woman." he demanded challenging her._

" _I was at the shrine and saw what transpired between you and the half demon." she said smiling wider. " That must have been maddening watching on as he effortlessly held you down choked you out and refused to kill you in honorable death."_

_He stood to slap her and she moved with unnatural speed. " What are you!" he said horrified. "There was no one there at the shrine." the woman withdrew an mirror and looked into it. The reflection glimmered and he was shown the shrine and the scene of his humiliation he blanched. " You deal I demon items. What do you want with me. This will not tarnish more then my pride among my people."_

" _No, you are right many humans have been humiliated or frightened by demons, but that is not the reason I have appeared to you. I have returned from overseas to finish some business that I had here many years ago. This was my home. I am the youngest sister of the Great Emperor Kirito and the lady Morderiko of the mountain shrines."_

_He laughed at her. " You are a child the emperor died one hundred years ago. I've never heard of a human that remained young into old age." he challenged her she sighed and withdrew a key. " what is that." he asked curiously. She waved it around. And slipped it back into her shirt._

" _It is the key to the room where the greatest secrets of the kingdom are." she took a seat in one of the chairs and made herself comfortable. " So do you have a name Emperor?" she said lightly_

"_It is Soujo, but you may call me your emperor. That is what I prefer." he said indignantly she laughed and stood. " where are you going!" he asked _

" _I'm going to open the door there is something that I have come to do. A task that has come up and I believe that we may have the same agenda." she said pulling back a veil. The study had always been her brothers favorite place so she had seen it fitting that she should leave it here. Soujo gasped and followed her. When the door opened. He stopped in his tracks. He had lived in the palace sine childhood and he had never been able to open that door. He was suddenly very excited and wanted to memorize this. If the key to his power was this woman she would rule at his side. _

" _What is your name woman." he demanded._

" _Misaka." she pulled back a curtain that was draped over mirror the surface of the glass rippled and he was amazed when he saw the figure of a black haired man with long hair he was scanning the room and looked at him curiously the mans eyes looked desperately for some one. " brother." she mused and tapped on the glass. Kirito slammed his fists on the glass and Soujo stepped back sure that the man would break the frail glass. The mirror did not move and Misaka giggled. Rubbing the surface of the mirror the man disappeared and she summoned the image of the demon that Soujo had vowed death to._

" _Soujo, this demon has defied me and he will die. But there are more like him that have the ability to undermine my plans. Tell me what is it that you want?" she had smiled then and they had begun to plan._

That woman stared at him now. They were close to their premiere as the nations ascended leaders. The servants that came to take his trey and give him some tea, he took it and waved them away. Misaka giggled at him he turned his eyes on her and for a moment she appeared a normal woman he shook his head and remembered that she was a monster. He knew the things that they would do together.

" Emperor, Soujo, things will work out I can feel everything going according to plan. Have you sent the guards out to patrol the cells to enchant them for the festival?" she asked making sure that it was being done correctly, he nodded once, and she showed him what she had been working on on the mainland. Within her robes she had concealed a knife he took it from her and dismissed the servants.

" What is it, I have knives." he said criticizing the woman's blade. She took it back from him and unsheathed the blade glowed a green aura that even he could clearly see. " Well." he goaded her.

" This is the key to demolishing the demons. Let me show you." Misaka used a black flute and played a chord that raised the hairs on the back of Soujos' neck. In his own private chamber a demon appeared out of a vortex that she had opened. It was an ugly creature that caused him to cringe.

" Get it out of my study!" he snapped she smirked and stabbed the demon sucking the energy into her blade. Taking another stab she sliced a hole that opened a tiny tear that revealed a white aura. He looked at it, then back at her. " Are you wasting my time?" he asked blankly ans was about to turn his attention back to his plans.

" Look what lays behind the mists" she beckoned him closer, his eyes widened. What he saw gave him the catalyst to his success.

The vortex shrank and disappeared as he was inspecting the dimensions. " What happened."

" We must collect the energy. Emperor." she laid her hand on his forearm and nodded confirming that this was indeed as monumental as he hoped. " Soon, Soujo." sheathing the blade they looked at each other in shared triumph and began to plan.

Threshold


	10. Chapter 10

The suns rays stroked the tops of the trees sprinkling light and dappling the high walls of the outer barrier to the city, within the walls of the capital, there was near silence in the early-morning bustle. The people that had to be up and maintain their shops or establishments that early in the morning were guarded against drunks and homeless that wandered the streets. A man leaving his home that morning gearing up for the deliveries that he was to make that day. Packing his kart and bending to wheel it down the road, he paused, seeing the city guards alert and walking down the streets patrolling, unlike their normal security and wall duties. He shook his head and walked down the hard packed road to the trade district. He had to wait a few times to pass between the close buildings and the by-passers. He caught the chagrin of a demon female that he had bumped with his kart. He bowed his apologies to the bird demon and was about to return to his daily rout when a guard yelled for them to stop.

" what is the problem here?" a swaggering officer came over to them with his sword drawn.

The man looked down at the sword and back at the bird demoness. He shook his head and bowed to both people. " I made a mistake hitting her with my kart I hope that she could forgive me and that we could just go on peacefully." he tried raisins a hand of peace. The guard sneered at him and turned his back on him.

" I don't give a shit what you do to this demon. By the order of the Emperor, I hereby exterminate any demon that will willfully attack, or harm a human in any way." he smiled at the obvious fear that crossed her face. The old man tried to stop the officer as he sliced her throat. Turning on him the officer stuck him through the abdomen. " ...and any human that sympathizes with them." he spat as he watched the life drain from the mans eyes. That was it the man thought as he sank to the ground, when his eyes cleared he glanced over to the fallen demoness she had not died from the slice it had only slowed her, the officer grabbed her y the hair once more.

In the crowd a crow demon took to the sky and fled, looking back he watched the humans burn both the corpses of the demoness and the human male. Souring through to the edge of the city to the gate. Touching the rippling barrier he felt the acceptance and he passed through into the sanctuary of the council.

"There has been a murder." the young man said trying to get in to the council chamber, they had been deliberating the fate of a young lord that had recently come into his powers. The guards stopped him effectively he had no prayer of getting past them but the council had to know.

" What is it that your going on about." a man said coming out of the side door through the chamber entrance.

" The city guards have started executing demons in the street. I just witnessed a proclamation and the execution of both a demon and a human trying to intervene on her behalf. That was my sister!" the man began fighting to get into the chamber. Stepping forward the man grabbed him by the feathers of his neck and pulled him from the ground with one hand.

" I am Teno, third member of the demon council." he said confidently. The little demon looked up at him with awe. He nodded and followed the demon male into the side hall. Turning they stopped and the demon proceeded to pull out an orb of crystal and put it to the demons head. The memory of the incident was sucked into it. " the council will see this. There is no need to stay around. If things are as you say go back to your tribe lands and tell them what is happening. I will need your leader a few days early.

The demon donned and rushed to the exit. His lands were not far from here as the crow flies. He soured through the skies toward home. Landing on the stone of the entrance gate he stepped through the raised boulders in the pathway and entered the nest of the crow demons. Immediately there were guards surrounding him. They had probably watched him the whole time. But there was constant travel between the territories so he was not too concerned. He turned to the captain that stared at him through beady black eyes.

" Merchant you are not due home for two more weeks." he said curiously.

"Captain, I have witness a tragedy in the capital that needs the immediate attention of our leader as by order of Teno the third member of the demon council I must see lady Hana.

The guard balked at little at the answer and nodded they took to the sky and flew to the leaders nest. Her face was the pail face of a woman, with feathers surrounding her face and smoothed on the top of her head she raised a talon and beckoned them in. stepping into her burrow of twigs mud and feathers they knelt in front of her elegant form as she settled back on her seat lavished with fine silks and shiny baubles won for her by her subjects.

"There is news for me." lady Hana asked interested by her visitors. None dared to waist her time so she knew it had to be worth it.

"I have been ordered by Teno third member of the demon council to tell you of the demon slaughters ordered by the human emperor. The council wished me to ask you to go to them." he finished. She tilted her head a little caught off guard. She had invested a lot of money into the human emperor and she was not aware of any such declarations. He had certainly taken her money to fund his project to "enhance japan". She was mad. Standing Hana flipped her cape back and unfolded her wings. Stepping to the edge of her nest she leaned forward stepping from the ledge and caught herself on the air currants. Soujo would pay for this.

Rin started awake feeling chills. It was cold that night, but it was not the cold that had awakened her. She opened her eyes to the night sky and the lights from the city caught her attention. There was a commotion that had started a panic and she could hear the sound of screams and commotion.

Tiki San came to her shoulder immediately.

"Don't go Rin there is danger there I believe that we need to leave this place and wait for lord Sesshomaru to aid us." Tangu said worriedly. Rin shook her head.

" I am not going down to the city. I've been anxious around this place. When I set out I did not think that I would be away from home, for so long. Madame Keade must be worried. All I could think about was getting to Souta, but, I never expected to get caught up in all this." she frowned worried. " I don't want to leave Souta, we have been apart for too long, but... I miss... home." she caressed the birds feathers and sighed.

In the camp Souta kept busy, he was optimistic and earnest to earn back his fathers respect. Rin watched the ogre demon lecture and instruct him in various activities and martial arts she saw that he could fight and had practiced a lot with wooden swords, that helped him synaptic-ally train for any combat situation. It was nothing compared to her lords training, she thought Souta looked kind of silly training with the ogre.

" Souta," she piped up. " have you ever fought a human before?" she asked earnest in her quest to aide her brother.

Souta quirked his brow. " Rin demons are stronger then humans I want to become stronger. It only seems logical." he said semi ignoring his younger sisters suggestion.

" I disagree." Songo said blandly. She tapped her finger against her fore head and smiled. " its all about whats up here that matters. Demons have natural strength and power but, they're not immortal. They have weaknesses that I exploit every day, see this ogre demon here, I could kill him any time. The fact is... he is a weak demon." Songo was relentless. Souta gaped and turned red in the face.

" take that back" he began stepping froward.

" Souta..." gin grabbed his son by the back of his tunics and restrained him effectively. " she is right. Though I have lived many years my race is not meritoriously strong for a demon line. So in fact what she is saying is the truth and of no offense to me. Let the woman teach you. I have prepared you mentally to withstand the harshness of training I have also taught you all that I can." gin lectured defusing Souta with every word Souta looked at him disbelieving until his father put him down and turned him toward the woman slayer.

" I can teach you, but that stuff your dad said about preparing you. It was a lie. Nothing should prepare you for the pain I have in store for you." she cackled and suddenly got giddy. The last student she had taught had been a total success, and she had even been promoted, and had earned enough money to support her bounty hunting lifestyle, the world is a lot more interesting then she had ever dreamed possible. Staying home was no longer in her plans for the future. Unrolling the leather wraps of her hands she dropped them on the ground and cracked her bare knuckles. Songo dropped into a stance and beckoned him closer. " come at me."

Kagome looked into the falling night and gazed into the moonless night. Her mind was drawn to her brother in law he would be human this night, she hoped that he was some where safe. She knew how much he hated being human now that he got to taste what it was like to be demon.

" Kagome. are you packed for the journey." Eri came out of the shrine to talk to her, they had begun to get along after the first few days. She was calm and seemed to have a wisdom beyond her age, Kagome liked her. They could be friends, if she stayed much longer. She thought about the meeting with the demon council. She was not allowed to be there, only demons though Hitomi had said they may make an exception for her because she was mated to a demon of the old blood. What ever that meant.

"Can you feel the aura around the shrine Kagome?" Eri said dreamily. " I didn't like it at first but it has been since you were brought be that demon. Morderiko is happy you are here, I can tell." she clasped her hands around the charm at her neck and smiled at Kagome.

" You have been here your whole life haven't you Eri?" Kagome asked curious, Eri nodded.

" My mother was a priestess, and she used to wander as a healer and a demon exorcist. She would tell me the most scary stories about demons and bandits, but in the end Morderiko always was with her. _She_ was a friend of demons, did you know that?" Eri looked at her. " like you, she made friends with some of the inu tribe." Eri perked up. " he's really handsome, does he have a brother?" she smiled. Kagome blanched.

" I... we... um." Kagome stuttered remembering the head priestesses warning about telling the girls about her marriage. Eri seemed nice but she had no way of knowing.

" its okay... I saw the way he was looking at you, in the field when you first arrived it was me that alerted the head priestess of your arrival. I heard that he was your husband while right outside the door." Eri smiled sheepishly. Kagome turned beet red.

" you knew this whole time?" Kagome asked. Eri nodded and shrugged.

" not much gets by me in this shrine, I am just careful how I then share that information. The head priestess was right, don't tell the girls yet. They wont understand like I do. I'm sorry for being mean to you at first I just wasn't expecting you to arrive so strangely and then take the head priestesses apprenticeship, but I have learned that the kami work in mysterious ways, you are meant to be here at least for now." Eris' faith made Kagome tear up and she smiled joining in. she had finally found a friend. They continued chatting

"Sesshomaru get up." Hitomi said standing over him and patting his face with her hand. He growled not liking to be touched by her poison claws. The burn still had not left his blood even through the healing Kagome did. Standing from his landing place on the ground she stepped aside. "Sesshomaru I have been kicking your ass for three weeks, and I know it seems like I have only been hard on you, but it was for a reason.

Don't look at me like that, _you_ will have a son and he will need to be taught too, and just so you know, I am not an easy opponent in any level of fighting. I came from the old world, and there we do things the old fashioned way. That brings me to my final point, the council wished to see me a few days early so your training will be shortened and you will accompany me to the council meeting." she said lecturing him as though she were teaching him.

He listened and gleaned the information that he found useful, ignoring the rest. Standing he wiped the dirt from his white cloths and shook off the pains of sparring. He hardened his will, ready to take what rightfully belongs to him. He went to the edge of the cliff side and turned to his grandmother. "When will you leave."

"Now," she said simply. "The council calls." she took a parcel out of her inner shirt and wrote in poison on the pace, wrapping it up Sesshomaru watched her closely and quirked his brow when she began to draw the shape of a door on the stone. Sakake began pacing her things into smaller pieces that conveniently hung over his shoulder, Hitomi brushed her hands off and stepped back Sesshomaru was visibly confused now.

"This is a portal?" he said questioning her and trying to see around her, Hitomi put her hand into the vortex and pulled it back unharmed. He didn't trust the old woman, the was sure that she had really tried to kill him, and almost succeeded; If Kagome hadn't have come when she did, he _would_ have died.

"Sakake," Hitomi said he nodded once and swept passed her into the portal. She turned to him, "If you would like to take the long way to the capital so be it, but if you would like to get there now, come." she sighed and stepped in herself.

Sesshomaru was not afraid of anything, he simply did not wished to be burdened with more of her trials. She had taught him an incredible amount, and he seemed to have gained not only strength but power. He stepped through the door way and right onto the busy street of the capital. His grandmother was being carried by Sakake though she was a long way from frail. He rolled his eyes at the woman, she was stronger then he was, and with the power thrumming just beneath the surface of his skin, he felt invincible. Humans around him made way and none dared to touch him, even Sakake was not given that wide of a berth. The man toted Hitomi around like he had been doing it his whole life, It even seemed to make them less intimidating with her antics. Not him though. He was not in the mood to be messed with.

He scented Rin on the outside of the city and he wanted to go to her, to know that she was safe. He clenched his jaws thinking about what he'd do to Inuyasha if he abandoned Rin in the capital. He stopped behind Sakake when he halted at a yellow veil that lay across a support beam for a nearby building. He did not question her this time when he followed Sakake through it and walked into a formal looking room. Hitomi was being seated at the end of a semi circle that held three other demon elders. He was assaulted by the combined demonic energy and realized then that his grandmother was one of them.

" Teno, Mitskune, and Saito, I have brought my heir to present to you. He has proven himself to me and has my blessing to fight for our honer." she declared smiling with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

" I object, we asked for the lord Touganoumaru to fight our champion. This pup, has no place in our hall. He has not even reached full maturity, see how he lacks in control and discipline. I can smell his hatred from here, this will not do." Saito, a gold dragon demon crossed his arms and looked at Sesshomaru with disdain.

Sesshomaru refrained from growling, he knew that these were the leaders of the demon world. He could feel their confidence and power, it was absolute, they did not fear him at all. He would rectify that. " the letter send was written to the lord of the Western lands, and as _my own _father has abdicated his place as lord I Sesshomaru current lord of the western territory have come to defend my titles and the honor of my clan."

"So we shall see. Lady Hitomi, you are sure of this champion?" Saito smiled slightly not conveying thewicked anticipation. Being the one to pick the pups opponant had turned out to be the best thing that he had done in a while, Saito turned to the serene looking Inu beside him. She let a twinkle of excitement touch her eyes as she smiled softly and nodded once.

Sesshomaru was not satisfied walking out of the demon hall, he looked around at the ancient tapestries and the antique artwork that had been accumulates through the centuries. He stopped in his tracks when he saw something familiar.

A great white Inu stood proudly, elegant and deadly on the last tapestry in the main foyer. Looking up at it, he heard Hitomi approaching him but did not glance over.

" That is my father, your great grandfather. He was magnificent, terrible and the most powerful of his time, that is until your grand father Inu no Taisho. He killed my father and took over the Inu tribe after him." she sighed, but he could see nothing except pride in her amber eyes. He noted this and turned.

" grandmother, I will return, this Sesshomaru has things to attend to." he said walking out of the door and through the portal to the merchants square. He did not even look around to find where to go. He closed his eyes and followed his nose out to the outer city past the gates. He could smell Rin still she was near, and he was hastening his pace, compelled to do so from some unseen need to protect her.

Rin perked up and felt excitement suddenly, she could not feel the power but she noticed the way that the demons all began to shift uncomfortably and Tangus' feathers plumed. Rin could almost hear the soft footsteps and she launched into the treeline directly towards the sound.

Sesshomaru stooped before his ward and saw her almost trembling in excitement to see him. He knelt and beckoned her closer. Grabbing her arms he leveled with her. " you have found your sibling." he said not surprised. She nodded and threw her arms around his neck, Sesshomaru did not try to detach her from his neck so he stood with her still dangling and walked to the camp.

Mira was wide awake walking through the moonless night and watching as the night gave way to mornings first glow. Goliath and her had traveled along the coast to the mountain pass that lead to the fire spewing mountain. She was drawn to it. Felt something a kin to the feel that she got from her fathers furnace. That moment she was sitting on a large rock waiting for her companion to drink his fill from the stream. He was drinking still though it had been several minutes and she was beginning to get impatient.

" Mira" Goliath looked up from the water and snarled a doggish grin at her. " go on ahead. I will be there." he said. Mira did not have to be told twice. Hopping down to the ground Mira straightened her firs and strode out into the forest. Holding her hand out she summoned a light and lit her walk way. It was a convenient trick that her father had shown her. She felt her throat tighten at the memory of him. She had left home with her fathers anger on her, not ready to take on the things he had in store, and anxious to know the other side of her heritage.

The human realm was full of vast differences in people, from one country to another she had to begin anew learning the languages and customs of the people there. She had met demons from few countries and mainly encountered humans. During the day when she was without power she could slip into a group of humans without detection, but when the sun set her hair and eyes would change to a teal flame that engulfed her body at a whim. She was fire; She controlled it, consumed it and expelled fire, with it, there was nothing that she could not do.

As she reflected the familiar weakness of humanity began to dull the demonic senses that were searching for the warmth of the other blacksmiths furnace. Sighing the clarity of the twilight began to haze and she tread forward feeling as though she were stepping into a suit that fit too tightly to allow the fires to course through her.

It was not much longer that she became aware of how hungry that she was. She was not tired from traveling but the energy exerted to move in demonic form always left her feeling famished. Goliath bounded up to her and was prancing a little cheekily and swatted her with his tail on the way by, she made a grab for it but he maneuvered out of her reach. " slow." he snorted. Mira launched forward and missed again. She chased after her companion and he made a game of it turning and pulling her by her firs around. To the unfamiliar by passer it would look like she was being tortured by the mammoth sized canine, but she held her own used to him taking advantage of her human state.

Goliath got tired and finally scooped her up and took off with her hanging on ho his back. Mira held on for all of her life and let him take her to the day time shelter that they needed to rest. They had been traveling during the night time to avoid unnecessary attention. It was not only the companion that she had towering over her but she had gotten the feeling from the native peoples that they were not used to welcoming foreigners. She was used to humans staring at her, she was not usual to humans and they stared at her contradicting dark skin and blue eyes. They were always surprised and it had made her travels interesting. The people of her mothers land had nearly worshiped her though she had not shown her power to any of them, they were sure that her pale eyes could see into the next world. This was unnerving for a woman that had spent her long days gathering ore and mining with a pickaxe for the purest minerals in her fathers lands. Reaching to her gauntlets she felt the smooth design of her fathers craftsmanship and was closer to him for the moment, though time and space held them apart.

Her father was a respected blacksmith, for his expertise and the ability to wield any weapon he could craft. He was a legend in her world and she had been his only heir and helper since her mother had passed into the spirit realm. It had been all that she had known until the door once more appeared to their realm, the demons could not go through by it but she found that in her human state she could pass through, but only to the place where her blood mother was from. That was how she had begun her adventure. Goliath had been sent after her with some strong magic and conjuring on her fathers part but he had managed to get through and catch up with her on the third day of her journey.

Goliath ran to the base of the foot hills and stopped letting Mira off by a rocky ledge. He laid down in a sunny patch and Mira knew that he was taking his rest, weather she was ready for it or not. Sighing Mira set up a small fire and poked him in the side to light it. He snorted and blew a flame to the kindling set up. It smoked and came to life letting her draw on the warmth that was soon radiating from it. Taking out her water skin she emptied the contents into a stone bowl that she kept in her pack. Setting it close enough to the fire to warm she brought out her dried meats and herbs that she had acquired off the men that had tried to force her on the beach. They had served her purposed well though she was beginning to run out of things she was certain could be eaten. She would have to make time to go into a village soon.

The local language had been difficult to learn, each human country seemed to have its own language, she was good, natural at listening to the syntax of the languages and aides from certain pronouns she was able to speak the languages by ear. This one had been no different, and the time that she had in the slave ship they had spoken enough Japanese that she could also speak it with some effort, though when she was just with Goliath she tended to speak the language of the demons.

" Goliath would you like any of the stew that I'm making." she offered him some knowing that he would not take it, she offered any way.

" no, this one has eaten already, you must eat so that you can regain your strength. The first meal is most important for a human." he lectured half paying attention. It was the same thing that he had told her many times during their journey. She just smiled and nodded accepting his answer. Gazing across the fire at him she got up and walked around the fire to sit with her back to the great black dogs chest. He heaved a heavy breath and basked in the comfort of her closeness.

The old dog had a fondness for the girl. She had been his masters daughter and he had come to think of her as his own pup though she understood little about dogs. She was his dear companion and only she knew the scratchy spot that could melt him into a black puddle of fur. Laying his head down next to her small frame he shielded her from the predators of the Forrest and took a nap while she ate her human food. Mira feathered her fingers through the thick black fur and mindlessly hummed a song from her child hood.

In the distance she heard the faint sounds of travelers. She stood to investigate the noises. There were two travelers both who had taken some effort to cover their tracks, but Mira was sure of the direction that she heard the people and continued onward.

Goliath would be angry at having to come after her during such a vulnerable time but miras determination and surness that she could handle any demon made her keep going. It was not a little bit of travel but the way eventually lead her upon a small camp site that lay empty in a small clearing. She looked around sure that she had heard people but saw no one around.

From behind her she heard the slightest intake of breath and turned." It is rude to walk into a camp uninvited." A deep male voice caught her off guard. She was eye to eye with a demon male, by the looks of him she determined him to be of the canine family and knew that she needed to be careful if this was his territory.

" it is not my intention to offend. I was curious." she said and seeing him relax she noticed the familiar features of the demon before her, she thought nad remembered the demon that had rescued her from the slavers enchanted chains knowing that most inu lived in familial clans she passed him for kin of some sort if not a direct relitive.

" that is certainly a way to be political, for a human, you seem not to understand that there are demons in this forest." he said warning her and turning to depart from there. She understood but she had not liked the way that he had said human like he was better then them. She certainly did not think so, though she openly admitted that humans were weaker then demons, they were no less in her eyes.

" I already know that there are demons here, that is why I have come." she said catching his attention. She lifted her chin determined and he saw the solidarity in her eyes.

Touganoumaru stopped and turned to the strange human woman that had invaded his camp. She was short compared to him but built strong as though she had girded her arms with strength through work or combat. He considered her and narrowed his eyes. " you intentionally seek demons, do you have no care for your safety?" he asked flexing his claws and taking a step in her direction. Mira was not afraid. She stood a little taller and frowned at his advances.

" excuse me, sir. I have crossed continents to get here, either make your intentions known or allow me to continue on my journey." Mira crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one hip. The demons face fell unable to believe that this tiny woman would be fearless of him. Relaxing his claws and straightening he cleared his throat.

"Shippo, come out and make our guest some tea. Please miss, join us." he let the cold facade slip away and it was replaced with a gentle smile that set her nerves at ease. A red headed fox demon appeared out from the branches of a tree and looked at her not sure weather to trust her or not. He had not come across many demon loving humans, not since Kagome... he swallowed the lump in his throat and got to work with the water and tea leaves.

" Thank you, your kindness is appreciated. May I ask the name of my host." she said reverting to the etiquette of her people.

" My name is Touganoumaru, my companion is my apprentice Shippo." he nodded gracefully and Shippo blushed when she glanced over at him. He was fumbling with the fire and Mira was tempted to help him, but obtained considering the kindness of her hosts. She would not like to affront his manhood by usurping his jobs.

"It is a pleasure to have made your acquaintance, please you can call me Mira," she smiled warmly.

" tell me Mira why do you seek demons, you are not of japan, tell me how a foreigner as yourself travel so far from your home, alone." he was testing her she could feel it but this did not seem to be rooted in some ulterior motive to exploit her. She looked into the direction of her camp and nodded toward it.

" I am not alone, good sir, I have a companion, he is resting not far from here." she said unworried. He flushed. She knew that he misunderstood but she was not going to dissolution him so quickly.

" so you both seek demons? I tell you humans have no place in this forest, it belongs to the demon of the mountain, he is rumored to hold abilities from the old days and has been keeping his territory human free to avoid the turmoil of the war." Touganoumaru explained. Mira quirked her brow and pursed her lips.

" war, between demons?" she asked.

" unfortunately not, it is war that is beginning between the humans and the demons. The times are beginning to turn in light of the human emperors contempt for demons. This being said the trust between humans and demons has never been more tense. If you stay her you will be dead by the end of the night. You and your companion.

" I see. Then it is best for me to reach the top of the mountain by night fall. Tell me do you know what kind of demon lives at the top of this mountain." she asked earnestly.

Shippo gaped. " lady you aren't hearing him. a pretty girl like you is a treat for most demons, leave while you have your life."

Mira laughed. She giggled while the two men stared at her bewildered. " I am grateful for your concern, you do not need to worry about me." she snickered. There was a crashing through the forest. And a bay of a large canine. Touganoumaru stood and moved to protect her but Mira stepped around him.

Goliath crashed through the treeline and stopped panting. " Mira! You were to remain while this one sleeps." he growled irritated. She walked over to him and patted him on the flank of his crippled leg and shook her head.

" you are okay, Goliath, I was just a few minutes away and these are friends: Touganoumaru, and Shippo, they invited me to tea." Mira turned to the man and boy who was more then baffled, they were stunned. " this is my companion, Goliath."

" he is a demon." Shippo said confused Mira nodded and Goliath sat his butt on the dirt and stretched yawning and showing his dagger like teeth.

" Yes, we are on our way home, back to the demon realm. That is why we have to go to the top of the mountain." she said determined. Goliath barked and thumped his tail.

" home?" Touganoumaru felt his heart spike.


	11. Chapter 11

Kagome met with the girls down at the gate to the shrine their convoy was nearly complete, monks and priestesses had worked for days preparing karts and horses readying the things for trade and things for survival. Kagome saw Eri out of the side of her eye and turned to greet the young girl. She was all smiles, and came over to say hello.

"Kagome we are on our way to the capitol. Is this your first time going there?" she asked excitedly. Kagome nodded until Sesshomaru she had never even left the territory, but then no one did. This was her first time traveling to the big city and she had been looking forward to it. Reaching through the contents of her pack Kagome pulled out an herb bag that was made to ward off insects.

Eri looked at her small packet and sniffed uncomfortably. " What is that?" she asked not sure about her.

Kagome laughed. "You wont think it stinks when it keeps the mosquito off." she smiled

"In that case do you have a second one." Eri giggled.

"Ladies this is the 150th annual migration to the capitol from this shrine, I would like to remind all or you that we are representative of the lady Morderiko and her sacrifice for all of us. As such representatives, we expected to help with the peoples ailments, show them the kindness and generosity of our shrine, but above all we are going to be staying in the palace as guests and I expect each and every one of you girls to behave yourselves in the most honorable manner." the head priestess eyes a certain group of women that smirked knowingly.

"Oh don't worry ma'am you can count on us." the woman laughed and flipped her hair back in a diva like manor. The girls laughed and the head priestess shook her head exasperated.

Traveling back partially the way she and Sesshomaru came to be at the shrine filled Kagome with emotion. in three days her Sesshomaru would fight for his families honor and the rights to his land and everything that his family had done while under the curse she had wanted to be there with him but they had not seen each other since he had been injured in the forest nights earlier, she had senses when his aura disappeared but when it reappeared it was further away then ever before, she sighed and tried to sit up in her saddle.

"Kagome this one senses your heart is far away at this moment." the head priestess observed from her place on the kart. Kagome looked over at her and tried to smile, but the wizened old woman was not fooled. " listen to that wind," she beckoned and pushed her gray hair back behind her hear. " there is change coming and kami knows what it'll be"

Kagome stored those cryptic words in her mind and tried to focus on the journey ahead, they would have to travel 30 miles in order to get to the capitol. That meant that they would not arrive until mid day the next day.

Miles carried on for Kagome with the steady clip clop of the horses feet, some of the girls had broken in to song but Kagome was not in the mood for that. Eri rode up next to her and gave her a warm smile.

"Kagome cheer up, we will be there soon, yo look like you have the weight of the world pressing on your shoulders.

"Do I, I guess I have been feeling kind of nervous." she admitted noticing the clenching in her stomach

"Don't worry this is my second time to the capitol and it was great last year; There was singing, parties festivals, and oh all the food. Finally the big celebration where the emperor and his family address the nation and bless us all for the coming year." Eri was dazzled by her memories and even had Kagome smiling along with her.

"Your right, but I feel like there's something else." Kagome look up into the sky and saw a crow demon winging across the sky, the other girls noticed but did not care as Kagome stared blatantly at it. " that is not usual, no demon would fly openly over a group of priestesses without precautions." she wondered and felt the clenching in her stomach again.

"You think that demon has something to do with why your so nervous." Eri looked at her doubtfully but Kagome shook her head.

"No, not him but I think that what ever he is running from might just threaten us as well." she said half thinking out loud to herself. Eri shook her head but was content to ride along beside her still.

"You are strange Kagome, but I like you." she smiled and began a song from the shrine maidens lessons naming the great leader and his council, Eri was skilled in history and was renowned for her ability to recite sagas and poetry from the ages. Kagome took comfort it her telling of the fall of the kingdom it was a story familiar to all but understood by few. Eris' version of the tale detailed the emperors demise and a snare where he is in waiting.

Looking over at her Kagome smiled. " Eri wasn't the emperor killed by his younger sister. " she asked recalling the tale that the head priestess had recited.

"In that version." Eri said smiling. " there are dozens of stories. Strangely almost everything lines up except the part where the great emperor actually dies. No one knows what happened to him, no one." she said.

"I wonder." Kagome said drifting into her mind.

Inuyasha looked at his brother when he passed through the camp with Rin in his side. Youkio hissed and backed up not liking the memory of their last encounter. Though with a sharp look from Rin he smoothed his wrinkled nose.

" Lord Sesshomaru this is Rins' brother Souta." Rin pulled Souta over to the tall demon and made him bow while she introduced them. Sesshomaru nodded at the boy confirming the existence of the child before him.

" Souta this is ring guardian, he is my master lord of the western lands." she said proudly. Gin and Azura were walking up behind Souta and both stopped and their mouths fell.

" Inu no Taisho? From the dead." Gin gaped and fell to his knees, bowing. " The heirs to the great emperor, and the leader of the demon army all in one place. The kami have you together for this moment."

" Enough of this idle chatter. I Sesshomaru have come early for the demon councils concerns for the relations between demons and humans. Rin you are to return home and abandon this part of the country this night. There is war coming."

" Will Souta return home with Rin?" she asked innocently.

Sesshomaru turned his eyes on the boy and sized him up, he was not like Rin, his human scent reeked with arrogance and fear all at once, there was also no air of importance in his aura as Rin had there was no urgency to protect of to serve. " he can do as he wishes. That one is not my concern." he said impassively.

Souta gaped but recovered. " I'm staying here this is the place where I have to regain my fathers honor. I cannot leave." Souta said determined.

Sesshomaru understanding honer nodded and turned to his brother. " Inuyasha take Rin back to the palace, then you are released of your duties" he said leaving no room for arguments looking further he spotted his guards daughter and Kagomes' friend Songo. " girl is there something to report from the city?" he asked calling on her sworn oath to provide information and defense for his territories.

" My lord there have been some troubles getting into the city they are taking anything with demonic energy as decreed by the emperor and there has been a decrease of demon traffic through the cities." she reported standing straight. Miroku came up beside her.

" My lord, things are changing here in the capitol. There seems to be an air of tension that could turn into a riot at any time, this is certainly an exciting place to be right now" Mirokus' smile was wicked and his eyes lit up with the fire that fueled his career.

" Yes indeed. That being said you, boy still wish to stay here?" Sesshomaru gave the idiotic boy another chance, but the determination was set like stone in the kids eyes and heart. " very well." he nodded at Inuyasha and he scooped the kid up under his arm.

" Wait lord Sesshomaru I want to be with my brother. Souta!" Rin called around the red fabric of his hakima. Inuyasha jumped into the air while Rin tied to order him to stop and her commands bounced off of him like hitting a shield

" Save those crocodile tears they don't work on me girl" he snorted.

Youkio watched helplessly as Rin was whisked away right out of his grasp the crow demon launched after them and flew after them at a distance. He was just about to jump into the sky himself when he felt the heavy stare of the demon lord.

" Youkio, you have sworn your loyalty to Rin, no?" he asked pulsing with demonic energy. Youkio trembled, he was different from the last time they had met, then, he had scared him, but now, the chill of his impassiveness the serene authority that held no inhibitions, Youkio knew this man was far stronger then he was,

" Yes lord Sesshomaru," he answered not daring to let his eyes drift from the predator.

" Then know that she is far better off away from here this is my wish and I will not accept anything else. Rin will not be put in harms way for power grabbing. If she dies in your care then not even death will save you from this ones wrath. Understand."

" Yes, I understand," Youkio nodded feeling the weight of the demons will.

" Then I expect you to protect the boy since no doubt Rin will be returning to this place." he said knowing his ward but not liking it.

"Excuse me lord, you forbade her and also all of us from involving her." Youkio said confused

" It is as Rin commands, or do you not yet understand?" Sesshomaru said cryptically, Youkio did understand and his natural instincts to leave and go after her were batting at him, but he knew Rins' will to be with her brother defied even her guardians ability to stop her. Rin would be back but until then he had to deal with the boy.

Sesshomaru stayed for few minutes with the demons and slayers before returning to the place where his grandmother called him to. She marked the room that was his but he walked in through the door and sat on the cushion that was set as a bed. He did not need sleep. The adrenaline of his up coming fight was enough to meditate on while he waited the hours of the night time. Some time though the battle scenarios his mind drifted to Kagome, it was going to be another three days before her arrival and the trials of the demon council. Listening to the sounds of the city he was alert to every human and demon in the city their bustling and the tension that had all of their scents tinted with acid that was getting on his nerves. This was why he hated going into cities. Too many scents; too many creatures and their various appetites. He stood and decided to walk about the city, getting a look at the place where his Rin was determined to be.

He went to his window and stepped out forming a cloud beneath his feet and taking an air tour above the busy nighttime crowds. Immediately he noticed that the demons of the city were absent, notorious for their veracious appetites for lavished comfort, dinning and carnal lust, it seemed as if the city had been muted from the normal excitement that was usual for this time of year.

Curious he landed in the empty street of a residence district and toured through the huts scenting for demons, he scented none, throughout the streets and dwellings the demons were gone from their normal place.

"Hey, demon, by order of the emperor your disturbing the peace being here, any demon that does harm to humans is subject to my sword. Got me?" a constable came down the street with two of his guards.

" Are you speaking to me?" he asked offended that they would address him.

" Yeah, demon or are you some kind of water demon with water in your ears. Hear this, you are being judged fro your crimes, my sentence is death." he boasted loudly getting the attention of some human passers in the night.

" You are not going to live, turn and go about your business, human." he spat and began to walk away. The constable stepped forward with intention and on reflex Sesshomaru summoned his poison and gripped his hori burning him and melting the flesh from his bones. The constable died twitching on the ground from his injuries and the other guards watched mouths agape that their leader would be dispatched so easily.

No one in the street moved, there was no one who would step forward until Sesshomaru flung the blood from his claws and took a step into the sky done with his business there. The guards looked at the remains of the constable and scrambled backward finally overcoming their shock. Gasping and panting they ran back to the palace and pounded on the door to the guards quarters,

"There is a demon here that melted the boss right in front of us, he was a monster. We need something bigger to kill him." the shaking guard angrily pounded his fist on the captain, Hoskas' desk.

"Jiro, calm yourself and tell me what happened." Hoska said sitting forward in his place and giving the guard his full attention, the emperor would want to hear about this.

flying through the distance he landed beck into the place of the demons councils guests and found his grandmother there with Sakake already.

" It is barely past dark and you've already prematurely started a war." Hitomi snapped. " Cant you ever just leave well enough alone, these humans obviously are planning on banishing us and then you go and kill a guard." she lectured him angrily but stopped and her shoulders fell. " Sesshomaru the trial has been moved forward. It seems that Teno, has been spying in the palace and the emperors plans are forcing us to move first. Tomorrow, Sesshomaru you will be tried."

Earlier the same day

Touganoumaru was stunned, this human girl had just given him the hope that he had been wishing for. He did not want to admit the interest that he had, but his eyes must have given him away for she got a knowing look and smiled easily to him. " Girl... Mira, there is no way back to the realm of our kind. I have been searching for years to find the way, it is lost." he frowned regretting the pain that reached his voice from his announcement. I

" Goliath and I will try, this demon you spoke of knows to see if he remembers the old ways. How old is he? Where does he come from?" she demanded, unwilling to be deflected from her goal her eyes were nearly glowing with excitement. She was truly determined. The demon man could not answer her and she nodded once confirming it to herself. " we will take our leave. If your path indeed leads you to the top of the mountain, we will meet again, if not, good bye." she said and mounted her beast and kicked her heals into his side. Shippo rocketed from the bushes and gripped a tasseled tuft of fur that ended his long black tail. Touganoumaru smiled and jumped after him, he had told the boy to investigate every possibility for him.

Mira did not see the fox demon that grabbed on to the end of Goliaths' tail, as they launched forward and passed through the underground of the forest. He leapt from peak to peak when the jagged rock faces became close enough together. Mira and Goliath ran for as long as they could with the sun at their backs and racing for time.

" Mira that thing is on our tail. Hes been following us since we left his camp." Goliath groaned disproving of her recklessness, the night was still far off and the demon that they had just encountered would test the limits of his ability, should he decide to turn on them. Mira patted his lame leg and snorted.

" I had hoped so. I could see the determination in his eyes, he would make an excellent ally. We are so close to getting home." she closed her eyes to the wind in her face and leaned back onto Goliaths' soft fur. Shippo was nearly sick after and hour or so of being jostled around. He held on tighter drawing attention from the giant canine and he flicked his tail sending him flying into the wall of the cliff grasping for the ledge. He panted sitting at the edge of the peak and scooted further back seeing the long distance down.

Goliaths' nose twitched and he looked to the right immediately veering up and landing on a ledge that lead to a flat rocky area that was shrouded in black smoke and smelled of soot and sweat. Not too far from where Goliath had landed, Mira saw the bones of an ancient dragon that seemed to have been made into a living space. Dismounting, she walked toward the dwelling and used the language of the demons to call to the ancient demon.

" If you are of the old world, peace and prosperity be unto you and your clan." she said using words from their traditional greeting to ensure authenticity. She had been disappointed many times by other demons that had learned the old language but possessed none of the traditions or values that upheld the meanings behind the words.

" Eh? Whats that?" an old man with a wrinkled wizened face poked his head out of the skeleton and peered innocently at the young woman that stood expectantly. " my your young to know the old language. Used to know it myself but forgot every last bit when I got old..." he gazed off into space and recalled his youth. Then with beady eyes he eyed the woman and admired her curvy frame.

" Are you from the demon realm?" Mira asked. She was beginning to grow impatient with the old man dottering on as he was.

" Ah yes, all of us originate from the place of the demons." he nodded. " you are bright, for your age, not many care for the stories of the old world." he nodded and affirmed it to himself, deciding that she was worth inviting in he beckoned her closer and lead her into his modest home sitting on the mats he breathed a fiery breath into the hearth and began to set the tea kettle to boil over the flame. She waited silently for the tea to steep and sipped her cup politely waiting for him to get into the frame of mind to listen to her tail " I can tell you are a long way from home, I am a fan of stories, would you care to tell me of your homeland and how you came here to find me?" his eyes glistened with anticipation, he sensed a good tale and the way the wheels began to tune in her mind expression and body language he was sure tat she had been hoping that he would ask. This would be good, his old life had gotten dull in these past centuries, he enjoyed a good story.

Outside Shippo waited on the outside of the door flap and listened tot he conversations, the woman had offended him with her blatant attitude, but at the same time she peaked his interest with her strange eyes and a tale of an ancient place of demons. It stirred something in Shippo a kin to a memory, the place she spoke of made him nostalgic for no reason at all but he felt that this was exactly what his master was looking for. If so, he would do anything to obtain that goal

" the place I was born was not too different then the place where we are now. My family protects the ancient remains of Risheim the ancient of our race. There my father is a blacksmith for the highborn of demon kind, he and my grand father and my grandfathers mentor have been the highest honored makers of weapons since the great migration, I lived there with my companion and my father until I was given the opportunity to find the place of my mothers home.

This realm is not what I remembered from my mothers stories, it is filled with wickedness that I had never seen, and since arriving in this place I have learned many different languages and discovered the depth of the human heart. This being said my journeys end will not come until I have completes the second part of my mission in this realm." she leveled with him, Mira had been expressive telling the story in the Japanese that she had learned in her short time there and trying to convey the seriousness of her meeting.

" oh? And what is the second part of your mission young lady." Totosai quirked a brow and sipped his tea waiting amused with her tale.

" I have to find my fathers mentor, he lives in this human realm and was swayed by the Taker King to come to this side." she said trying to get him to remember.

" Ah young lady that was a magnificent story, I tell you you sure have done your homework I used to live not far from the old guys bones myself. Now tel me what are you hare for miss, my bed time is coming up soon." the old man yawned and began to unroll his bedroll.

Mira looked at the old man impatiently and stood. " you heard what I'm here for. Now tell me how to get the door open from this side of the gate. You have no idea what dad had to go through to get me here."

her cries fell on deaf ears, the old man had fallen asleep and was snoring into his furs. Throwing her hands up she stormed out of the hut. She wasn't even surprised that the inuyoukai was there when she exited. Goliath looked up at her from the place he was curled up at and went back to sleep. Mira was impatient. It was almost dusk and she was just getting started with her research.

" You certainly have an interesting story. Tell me Mira, are you from the demon realm as you claim?" Touganoumaru asked seriously, he was tired of being lead in circles and was determined not to allow this opportunity to pass by. She had told him before that they were both demons but he could detect no demonic energy from her.

" Yes." she said unflinchingly.

"Are you human?" he asked trying to justify to himself how she could possibly be his key to getting his wives soul back to her body.

" Yes." she said confusing him but confirming the feeling that she was not what she appeared.

Touganoumaru was impatient frowning he walked to her and grabbed her wrist. Goliath stood immediately and growled flaring his nostrils and readying for an inferno blast.

Mira held up her hand. " What is your problem, dog demon?" she said calmly.

" how can _you_ be of my world with no demonic energy, you are a fraud, and I will kill you for wasting my time." he was enraged with her logic not making sense to him.

Mira caught him off guard when she smiled amused at him and relaxed her wrist causing him to hesitate slightly. Jumping back Mira sucked in a breath as the suns rays set over the horizon and blasted him with a fiery mask. Touganoumaru stepped back and was caught off guard when looking at her again Miras' eyes glowed with teal flame, her aura spiked and a very real flame emanated from her body and burned anything that came in contact with her.

"Careful dog demon, you might get burned, grabbing a woman like that." she grinned and powered up causing a column of flame to irrupted from the place where she stood and poured molten flame onto the pile of bones that the old man lived in. " excuse me, I have a gate to open"

" whoooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaa" a scream was hear from the dwelling and the old man launched out of his house dropping on to the ground and putting the fire out.

" old man, Totosai. I demand that you open the door back to the demon realm. You are my fathers mentor and my grandfathers brother. This I can prove." she walked over to him and engulfed him in fire of nova quality.

" Half demon! How could you startled and old man that way come in. come in, and tell me how that old Dragon is. These old bones haven't felt a fire that hot since I was a young man. Oh and souring through the gas clouds through the geyser field. Ah those were the days." he was invigorated and full of energy.

Out of the shadows of the night Ren looked across the city of the humans, it had been nearly two hundred years since he had associated with humans, wrinkling his nose, Ren remembered how much they stunk. They scented of greed, lust and rage.

Jumping into the sky he flashed across the sky unseen by human eyes and patrolled the streets looking around this strange world. He fund the place of the demon council and met the four elders immediately. Bowing when he entered the assembly he stood before the council.

Saito smiled and his pleasure was obvious. Ren ha been his ally for many years and they had all been regretful that Inu no Taisho had been banished from their ranks through his curse, but, he was rightfully the next ruler of the western lands. It had the largest population of demons they deserved to have a strong leader.

" Ren, it has been too long." Hitomi flashed her dangerous fangs and he felt as though she were plotting against him

"You are looking fair, lady Hitomi," he said regally he wad nearly her daughters age and they had been close before she had married the white dog. And had suffered the result of being pared with one that was cursed.

"Fair indeed... Ren, are you prepared." she was not in the mood for his flattery.

"I am the last great warrior from the old days I will once again defend and restore proper honor to the titles of demons." Ren declared for all. Demons quieted and they could feel the solidarity to his words. Hitomi nodded accepting his words but not being fazed by his determination.

"Yes yes, that is all very well. Depart and return on the morrow, for now the title is not yours, and it is not in the care of the tribe of the brown Inu." she said coldly earning the challenging stare of Ren who stood with his Brown eyes blazing with fire.

"Very well, I will depart my lady...my lords." he bowed and turned to leave. There was another power source here that quietly lingered within the city. Ren snorted and wondered if it was his opponent that, _Sesshomaru_. If it was, he would need a lot more power to beat him.

When the moon was high Hitomi schemed she had come up with a plan to ensure Sesshomaru at least did not fail. " Sakake retrieve Kagome, she will be essential for tomorrows challenge.

" yea milady." Sakake said and launched himself out of the window and flew into the sky. The convoy of priestesses were not far away, it was closer then he had anticipated, and landed in their midst without a sound.


	12. Chapter 12

Fighting the odds

Hitomi was irate she had one more day that she would have been able to train him, if it weren't for the council. Sesshomarus' opponent had arrived in the night time and had declared for all to hear amongst the council:" I am the last warrior from the old days I will once again defend and restore proper honor to the titles of demons."

Sighing, she reflected on this man, he was notorious for his brutality and she just hoped that the pup would keep his wits about him during the fight. If he wanted to live.

"Sakake" Hitomi called stirring her daydreaming companion.

"Yes milady" he stood and bowed awaiting her command

"I would like you to fetch Sesshomarus' mate, she will be of great use to us during this battle. But make sure her scent is not anywhere near the arena, until the fight begins." Hitomi smiled plotting her next move, her wheels were turning trying to outsmart an impossible situation. Her grin widened. "Yes, that will do excellently

Inuyasha stepped into the quiet of his old chamber at their family manor. The servants had greeted him with mixed feelings and had worried over Rin until the girl was nearly smothered in attention.

Rin turned on all of them and told them to go about their business, and they dispersed, she turned daggers at him with her eyes, Inuyasha not being one to care about a 12 year old girls attitude had went on about his own business, he suspected that she was more angry that he was just doing the will of her guardian then intentionally bullying her into being apart from her brother.

Turning his eyes to the east he scented the air to find any trouble in the area and found only the normal demons milling about their business, since the breaking of the curse demons mainly lived within the borders of the territory, Sesshomaru had literally lead a new generation of demons into japan with the awakening of power. They relied on him and even he was beginning to feel the emptiness from his absence from the patrols and delegation that he was famous for.

There was a knock on the door. " enter," he said unsure of who would be calling on him at this time, the dusk was falling and he was going to be transforming, he usually spent his time alone, NOT wanting to be vulnerable to the demons that surrounded him.

"Lord Inuyasha." it was Rin.

" Hey kid," he said surprised that he would see her so soon after upsetting her the way he had. "What s going on, do you need something?" he asked concerned. She shook her head and came to sit on his chair that faced the window.

"Lord Inuyasha, do you still miss lady Kykio." she asked looking at his innocently."

"You came across the palace to ask me that?" he raised his eyebrow and she nodded hesitantly. "Well... Yes. All the time." he answered taking a knee in front of her. Rin smiled and nodded.

"I miss her too." she said and reached to give Inuyasha a hug. "I didn't want to leave Souta." she admitted letting a tear come to her eye.

"I know, I could see how much you cared for each other." he said consoling her. Rin was small still not yet twelve years old and he had known her for most of her life at that point, in many ways he had considered her apart of his family.

"But... I want to stay here in this palace forever. This is where my family has been. My lord Sesshomaru, my lady Kagome, and you lord Inuyasha, I don't want to go back to the capital I keep getting a bad feeling from there." she began to cry and Inuyasha gaped not knowing what to do.

"Hey, hey... Rin. Don't cry." he tried to pat her on the back and only dropped his hand unsure of how to end the crying girl. He wished Kagome was there. "no one will force you to go back."

"But Souta..."

"Souta is a man, I had already been in my first battle at his age. If he desires power, he will earn it. I know this one by heart. Look at_ my_ brother. He wont stop until hes reached a power that surpasses everyone else in existence, and I believe him." Inuyasha shook his head and tried to smile at rin. She sniffed and looked at him as though she were seeing him for the first time.

"Lord Inuyasha, could I stay here when you change." she asked.

"Yeah, take the bed, I'm not going to sleep at all. Never can as a human." he said distantly. He reflected on his first year of being a demon, he had been less careful about being a human in public and had suffered when a rouge bunch of mid level demons jumped him and left him bleeding to death until the suns rays touched him and restored his demonic ability. Since then he never allowed any one to witness his human night, no one that he didn't trust that he could pulverize weather he was human or demon. Rin was certainly an exception.

"Thank you" she said and settled down Inuyasha left the room dark with only the light from the stars. He noticed his senses dulling and felt the familiar waning of his abilities. His nose felt as though it had been muted and his eyes were blinded in the darkness of the moonless night. He heard Rin's soft snores as soon as she fell asleep he was not tired. He sat and reflected on the years of his childhood and early adulthood as a human, he was just as he was then except he had then been able to keep his silver hair. His hair during these new humans nights left him with nothing. No extra senses that lay beneath the surface, nothing that he had been used to from before. These human nights more reminded him of being deaf and blind with no power to overcome it, until the suns rays touched him once more.

The first time he had transformed he had been terrified thinking that he was again cursed and recounted all the fights that he had been in to see if any had that kind of power, since he had beaten them all he doubted it. He had even had Kagome try to use some of her spiritual magic to heal his energy, all that accomplished was getting a warm fuzzy feeling that promptly put him to sleep like a baby. Eventually he realized what was happening and learned to become discrete when he was human.

He was still daydreaming when he noticed Rin's sleeping becoming restless.

Rin rolled over looking for comfort as her mind took her away to the place where she was called. She floated through time and space and tried to make sense of the things flying past her before she could focus.

"What is happening ." she called into the darkness. She felt pulled as though she was being tugged by her kimono to some place else.

"Rin." she heard the voice of a man that was not familiar to her. The voice was deep and rich, full of pain and wisdom. She came to stand in a place that appeared around her. She was in a small room with a mirror draped with a veil over it standing just in what seemed to be the middle of the room. In front of the mirror there was a man that stared intently at it.

"Who are you" she said noticing the tone of authority in his voice. She approached him and observed his features from the side, his profile was just like her fathers and she could see a lot of Souta in him as well.

"Ah yes, I am Kirito, I was the Emperor until I was banished to this place in between the worlds." he said

That means that you are my grandfather" she smiled and looked at the man once more, he was ageless, she could not see any hint of time except for his eyes, they told a story of loneliness and many heartbreaks, beneath it all she could see anger.

"Yes... I have missed that much time. Rin, I am your fathers father. I see that my line has survived through you."

"What about Souta... he is the oldest, the next in line." she said not wanting to forget him.

"Souta?... Ah yes, I have tried to reach that one, but he does not have the connection to the power that you do. Rin you have been chosen to succeed me." Kirito knelt in front of her and took her by the shoulders. His hands wrapped around her arms, dwarfing her by his size. Rin looked up at eyes that mirrored her own and shook her head.

"I don't want to be an Emperor" she said wrinkling her brows. Kirito understood it had never brought him great joy to be a leader, but to him she was the only hope that he had to save the empire that he had created out of both demons and humans.

"Things are not well, young one, the times are changing for the worse." he touched the mirror with the tip of his forefinger and the mirror rippled to life exposing a room that was furnished with treasures of all kinds but he waved his hand dismissing that image.

"What can I do?" she said shaking her head. "I am only a little girl, I don't even know how to fight" Rin was determined to show him that he was wrong, but Kirito did not give in, ignoring her rational to sweep past a series of images until he found what he was looking for. It was the palace where she slept.

Rin gazed into the mirror looking intently at the room that was cast in darkness, she saw Inuyasha by the window sitting on the ledge and glancing at her every once in a while as she slept thrashing every so often. " Rin I have been watching the entire realm of man, the demons are beginning to disappear from the earth and I am responsible. Show me Misaka." he said with worry in his face. Rin edged closer to see what he was talking about.

Misaka felt a tingle as though being watched, but she put it aside, no one could stop her now. Descending down to the dungeons, she hid in the shadows evading guards and patrol that moved about in their own business slipping to the edge of the second wing she smiled looking at the demons locked in the cells made just to dispel any of their powers.

Their were glares of hatred emanating from every eye that followed her from the door down the cell block.

"This shall indeed do well." she smiled darkness crossing `her features. Before any demon even suspected the woman, Misaka raised her arms and aura began to pour into her, seeping from the demons that she had caged. Her own aura was blackening now visible to the naked eye, she drew in the darkness into her and filled herself saturated herself with demonic energy.

"Rin, this is the reason, Misaka my sister, is devouring the demons and harnessing their energy." he said angrily slamming his fist on the glass, it did not shatter.

"Why does she need it." Rin asked curious why some one would go so far into darkness.

"My sister, Misaka, was not like Morderiko, my elder sister and myself. Morderiko held extraordinary control over things of spiritual magic, she was pure and lovely and dedicated herself to the kingdom as a woman of healing. I had the command. As you know it allows me to use any demon for whatever purpose that I desire, that is except half demons. My power was born through the generations of man that came from the place of demons. We my dear are not of this realm ourselves my parents came to this world through a gate forged by one who is without limit on his ability to forge. Misaka was born without power of any kind and was bitter all the days of our youth.

I do not know when it begun for her but I began to notice when I hit maturity and left my home to find my own way, Misaka changed, Morderiko was always such a pretty child and she grew into a beautiful woman as did Misaka. But after the taking of the empire from my predecessor, we all lived in the palace for years together. Misaka had begun studying and learning from Morderiko to tap into any potential power. I discouraged her, saying that she did not need power and that she was better off getting married and living a life as a woman should. That caused her to go into a rage and she fled to the tower.

After that she was even darker then I had ever seen her before, evil in manor and spirit, causing people and animals pain, because she desired it. Morderiko and I begun to worry after she started showing signs of power shortly after. The demons that had worked in the palace begun to disappear until only my most powerful allies remained, even then she banished and cursed them. I did not realize where she had been getting her power.

When Morderiko tried to stop her was slain, on the steps of the palace, by our own sister_, and _in front of her two daughters. Then, I was caught off guard not knowing her intention, I turned my back on her and was cast into this place, It is the in between to our worlds. The reason that she wishes to free me and finally kill me is... Imagine that there were a door to the demon realm, _Rin_ the door is_ locked_ because of me. I am the_ lock and the key_. It can only be opened now by me, because of what she did." he said with fire in his eyes. Rin was taken aback from his story. It was unreal, but so much of it made sense that she was just shaking her head.

"Kirito... grandfather, what do you want from me." she pleaded.

"Rin I need you to finish what I started, you must make sure that Misaka fails in her mission. Do anything that it takes, and remember that I am with you, watching from here." Kirito waved his hand ant the scenery around them changed it was a scene of his chamber in the palace " I am waiting here until the time of my departure Is here it will not be much longer then I shall join the rest of my family..." he began to daydream and Rin felt herself being pulled back to her body. She came awake with a start and realized that it had only been just an hour since she had gone to sleep. Rubbing her eyes she turned over and dozed once more.

Sesshomaru was focused, he gave not one person a side ways glance as he descended to the fighting arenas beneath the main lobby to the councils lair. He had brought only his claws to fight finding them far more effective then his steel katana. Looking around the waiting area he meditated allowing the scents and feels of the arena to fall into the background. He was not going to let anyone take from him the power that was his, he had lead his people and was admired and respected by them he was not about to allow anyone to take that from him.

"Enter Sesshomaru of the clan of the white Inu." Hitomi voice called out signaling him to enter. He strode out before the council face as a stone.

"Enter Ren, of the clan of the Brown Inu" she called with a little distaste in her tone. Another Inu demon walked out in much the same fashion that he had but when he took a knee before the council and flattered them Sesshomaru was enraged.

"Thank you council for allowing me the company of one so beautiful as the lady priestess before I shall take my rightful lands." Ren flourished his speech with a wave of his hand toward the door of his waiting room. Kagome stumbled out of there looking angry and searched the room for Sesshomaru, seeing him she ran straight for him and hid her face in his chest, he drew his hand to the back of her head scenting her to see if he had touched her. He snapped his eyes to the other Inu and growled fiercely scenting the kiss that had been stolen from _his_ love.** Kill.** He was startled but he had growled the words in his mind without muttering a sound, the words resounded off of his self control making him loose track of why he was there. **He has touched what belongs to us, do not let him live. **

Hitomi snapped her head over to the girl hastening to her grandson who was beginning to revert to his beast form and the color drained from her face, she had had Sakake put the girl in the wrong room!

She shook her head at him when he went to retrieve her aware of his maybe fatal mistake, Sakake had been careful not to leave his scent on her but it smelled as though Ren had not. Though just by her scent you could tell that she was a taken female.

Ren smirked seeing the reactions of the lady Inu and her kinsman. He would take everything from them, because they stole his place, and his masters place on the council in favor of blood instead of rank. He was not going to be passed by again.

"Sesshomaru I will not allow you to beat me fight me with everything that you posses, it will still be insufficient." Ren barked cackling at the obvious distress of the white Inus.

" Sesshomaru, I am sorry, I told him no, I just could not stop him my powers have been muted within these walls." Kagome was nearly crying and he could not take it anymore. He took the sleeve of his garment and wiped the scent of the mongrel from her lips and grasped her face.

"In such a short time I have been made a liar, I vowed to you no one would ever touch you again, allow this one to rectify the wrong that has happened here." he said giving her a gentle kiss and nodding at Sakake to escort her to the place where his grandmother was. " Ren of the brown Inu. You will pay for touching what belongs to me." he walked up to the other demon an d punched him solidly in the face. getting him off balance he cocked his other hand to hit him when Ren looked back at him and smirked.

Ren switched his footing and was behind him in a moment able to deck him in the occipital. Sesshomaru was surprised at the speed but he turned out of the majority of the punch and dropped to one knee to shoot his claws through Ren's stomach.

His claws sliced only a shred of clothing leaving him to renew his balance and start again letting Ren get enough room to gauge his distance. Dancing just out of reach Ren was enjoying himself more then he had thought. Sesshomaru recovered quickly and rushed him with a barrage of poisoned claws, Ren just barely twitched out of the way as pieces of clothing and skin began to melt away from kicks from the pups claws. The old woman had no doubt been training him. Bracing his movement off of a caught punch Ren turned into Sesshomaru and leveraged him off of his feet and throwing him into the ground. Sesshomaru got back up and returned the favor angrily he was beginning to loos his calm unfocused and volatile, he began sinking his claws into every thing he could reach leaving Ren bloody in more then a few places.

Hitomi was relieved that her grandson was doing as well as he was, though the fight had just begun.

"You must think nothing of your wench dog, you fight for her as though you were playing for a child attention, flashing your poising around and growling like a_ normal_ beast." Ren mocked him laughing aloud and walking toward him

Sesshomaru was being toyed with and he knew it. Being challenged so openly through the violation of his Kagome, he was having trouble thinking straight. He needed to get some grounding and start to use his instincts. **Let me.** The inner voice that resounded from his deep soul called out. He knew this feeling, the need to synch with the power that was within his soul. He clenched his teeth and let go finding a near blinding sense of freedom that flowed through him.

Ren grinned not disappointed. And watched the boys eyes burn red and his fangs and claws elongate giving him a more wild look. It was not elegant but it surprised him how much power had been released.

Sesshomaru strode toward him and he grabbed Ren by his armor strap and gave him a right cross driving through his face and sending him to the ground. Ren grabbed a hold of his sleeve and rode out the punch bending back to use his velocity to stand back up and flip backwards landing at the the ready. Sesshomaru growled enraged at the counter. There had been no progress in the fight so far. He needed something bigger then he had anticipated for his fight. Sesshomaru took a calming breath and closed his eyes scenting the other male Inu, he stepped to the side and began to evade shots fired at his face he knew that he could not stay on defensive for too long and began to time Rens' blows finding a window in his defense that lasted a tenth of a second, that would be enough. Mustering the strength of his rage he focused enough to divide Rens' hands and head butt him in the nose, blood poured down Ren's lip and he growled not liking to bleed first in a fight.

Wiping the blood from his face he charged and speared Sesshomaru taking him to the ground, he grabbed his throat and began to rip the flesh from his neck. Poison reached his claws and he hissed him pain and jerked his hand back giving Sesshomaru time to overcome him and gouge his eye from his skull Ren groaned in agony and tore a gash across his chest in return. Poisoned blood seeped from his skin he knew that this injury was more severe then the ones that his grandmother had flayed him with. He surged power to heal himself partially and his eyes were nearly pure red with the amount he was relying on his instincts. Ren saw him step forward and dodged as he threw poison at him enough to disintegrate into nothing. He swallowed and decided that it was time to end this.

Stepping up he let his own demonic energy release giving him the abilities that he also possessed. He took a calming breath and let his eyes remain white not wanting to loose control at such a vital point in his life. He let his left foot slide forward and settled into a relaxed stance as his opponent approached. Just as he got into range Ren changed. He unloaded a barrage hitting his defenses with both critical blows and glancing blows continuously keeping his timing from forming a pattern. He knew when he was close to winning, Sesshomaru's mind was so clouded with hate that stepping forward he sidestepped and brought both fists down on his vision center of his occipital lobe. He blacked out and fell to the ground.

"As you can see.."

"We are not done here." Sesshomaru growled he was completely taken by instinct and stood back up claws flexed and readied for another round.

"Continue." Saito smiled ans nodded.

Ren strode back to the pup and grabbed him by the hair. Sesshomaru lunged straight up and forced his fingers into Ren's eye socket. "never touch Kagome,ever." he hissed

"Big mistake pup." Ren seethed

Kagome watched as Ren transformed, the man bared his teeth with blood running down his cheek. He stepped forward and she was nearly thrown backwards at the surge of power that emanated from him, Sesshomaru was ready, already moving toward Ren but as he neared she gasped, seeing green blood fly, she flinched out of the way remembering the sting of his blood while healing him. Feeling nothing she peaked through her covered eyes and Sakake was standing in front of her burning from the blood that splattered across him.

" Sesshomaru?" she tried to force her way past him and saw Sesshomaru knelt down with his right hand grasping something while his other arm drained blood. She stepped into the sparring ring and hastened to him Kagome felt deep pain in her chest as though her heart would explode

Sesshomaru put his hand up for her to stop and she paused before getting all the way to him. He began to rise, standing with great difficulty, she gasped seeing three gashed across his chest and the thing grasped in his right hand was his other arm from just above the elbow. She felt sick, he was still pouring blood and he would pass out at any moment. He looked to the council who stood interested in the outcome she met eyes with Hitomi and saw regret in her eyes

"Will you continue this fight, Sesshomaru?" Ren mocked him from across the room.

Hitomi watched her face drained of color whiter then her already ivory skin. Kagome was inside the arena and she had no power to stop the fight she was irritated that Sesshomaru had been damaged _and_ wanted to slap Touganoumaru for leaving her his child to do his own work.

" Continue." Saito commanded

Ren looked at the bloody frame standing with defiance still in his eyes. " what a pleasure to send you to hell." he said and charged not waiting for Kagome to leave the arena she felt for the power that was muted in the walls of this place, she felt a gleam of it just out of reach and could not quite get it. Ren was getting closer murder in his eyes and she was desperate not to let go of Sesshomaru, when his was already so hurt.

Souta felt the weight of his mission as he watched the monk and demon slayer depart for their next bounty hunt. He was determined not to make the day a waste, he had had trouble sleeping all he could think about was the last time that he had seen his father. He grasped the sword his father had left for him which was strapped to his side concealed under his long outer layer.

He knew exactly where the palace was and made a short trip through the labyrinth of the capital. There were servants going and coming out from the palace and he looked for a way in. picking up a vase that decorated a wall beside the entrance he pretended to struggle and walked into the palace through the servants entrance.. plunging into the shadows he grasped the talisman that his father gave him for security and went down a hallway that gave way at his back. He walked around looking for any sight of people. Servants were scarce and he did not see anyone walking about the house, he kept silent not daring to disturb the silence of the palace.

He walked past a door that remained open and was surprised when he heard a small chuckle and ducked scared. " boy, come in." he heard and felt his heart freeze over as he saw the symbol of the emperor on the mans head dress. Holding his breath he knew that he had met certain death. He tried to look innocent and entered.

The emperor smiled, he had been bored all day waiting on the reports of his gurads, he was days away from the new years celebration and his wedding with Misaka, but she was away and he was neck high in scrolls. Seeing the young man wandering aimlessly he knew it was an intruder but the boy looked like nothing to be concerned about. " sit." he motioned and waved his hand toward the cushion that sat just beside him.

Souta was scared, he was in the belly of the beast with the emperors stare upon him.

" You look terrified... good. It is not wise to sneak into the palace, I must work on my security. Child what is your name." the emperor said with good humor.

" My name is Souta, I am visiting the city I... just wanted to see the palace its so big." Souta played it up. This pleased the emperor who seemed to be in an amused mood and he nodded.

" I too snuck into the palace at your age, I followed a maid that was very beautiful. But found myself so enamored wit the beauty of this place I found myself here while my predecessor too studied. Do you know what happened." he smiled enjoying his story.

"No highness." he said trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"I spent time in the dungeons. Three e laughed outright as Souta turned green and looked as if he would bolt. " I am kinder then my predecessor. I have always wanted a son, so humor me and entertain me for a while, my mistress will be weeks, the king had me sealed immediately and I began work in the security as a junior candidate." here shortly from her meetings, she will adore you child."

Souta was nearly sick but tried to laugh it off. The emperor stood and beckoned him to follow. "come, let us visit the gardens. Is there anything you would like to know about the palace?" he asked leading Souta around the hallways. Servants stared when they saw the boy with the emperor, the emperor himself ignored him, they did not have the authority to question him.

Souta felt a thrill and assumed his role smiling as he often saw Rin do and followed along in his lead. "Oh your majesty I would like you to yell me about how you became emperor"

"Souta that is an excellent story." he seemed flattered and Souta smiled.

Mira threw the mug of tea onto the ground and stood "How can the gate be locked. I haven't been here as long as you say the gate has been sealed. Do I look 186 years old? Please I am only turning 50 this year and I didn't get to the human realm until three years ago." she stated getting mad at the deceptively frail demon in front of her.

Hey now Mira, this old man hasn't tried in years. I like it here in the human realm." Totosai said getting tired of this young woman and her demands, her fire was familiar but he had no incentive to help her.

Mira glared, " I see. Goliath, he is the key to the other side." she called outside of his skeleton dwelling and Goliath peaked in past the three visitors to the old man.

" I have a reward for returning the masters daughter," Goliath perked up happily but Mira shook her head.

"He will not help us. He is most certainly the brother of our fathers master he says the gate is sealed from this side and there is no way back." she fumed and Goliath turned his big brown eyes on Totosai and snarled disgusted.

"You will return

The old man swallowed the scream that was building in his throat and looked again at the demons in front of him; one Inu, one fox and a fire elemental. He certainly has had a busy day. He looked to the east and sniffed the air.

"These are trying times, I feel the shift in the balance, since the emperor Kirito was banished there has been a imbalance, but now, it seems that darkness is winning. Tell me, Mira, would you join a war that you are not a part of? Would you walk into the darkness to find your way home." he turned serious.

"War? Darkness? Is this really the time to speak in riddles." she threw her hand sup and groaned irritated " don't you understand a girl just wanting to go home, I have nothing here in this chaotic realm."

"Mira there is a war coming." Touganoumaru finally spoke up, she stopped throwing a tantrum to listen, she nodded understanding that there was nothing she could do to avoid it. " the humans and demons are beginning to war with each other. There has been raids on both sides and no leader to speak of to control this madness. Totosai, what does this have to do with the sealed gate to the other side." Touganoumaru asked.

Totosai did not answer, he snored softly having fallen asleep while the Inu was speaking. Mira picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at his head. It bounced off.

"Oh yes, there was another with power unlike the great emperor." he said Mira snorted at the mention of the taker king. " a woman saturated with darkness with the desire to consume demons began gathering power, if she accessed the way to the demon realm she would gain power until she is unstoppable and then... I do not know what her plans are but I have been watching."

" how?" the three of them said together.

" oh this old thing, I found in my youth. " he pulled out a crystal bowl and poured water into it. Dipping is finger into the water he said. " show me where the darkness is gathered." he watched the ripple in the water and immediately Shippo was underfoot trying to see into the bowl. He beckoned the others over and showed them her face.

" She doesn't look so tough, how do we stop her." Mira insisted.

"You cant, only the bloodline of the great emperor can defeat her. I have not been able to locate such a person in all my time, when I scry I only see the outside of a palace. I tell you if the rightful heir still exists he would not live in a palace.

Touganoumaru stood and looked at the outer wall of his own home " that is my home."

Totosai looked at him and rubbed his eyes as through to better see him. His eyes widened and an air of hope lit through him like he hadnt . " are you the descendant of the great Inu no Taisho?" he looked closely and nodded to himself. " yes I suppose you are, I am sorry about how things ended up, and you... are you sure that you need to go back? You could fall in love with this place, or someone here..."he looked at the youth who snorted and shook her head disbelievingly.

" I must get home to my father." she said determined.

" Very well I will require a few things to get you started on this search." Totosai explained solemnly.


	13. Chapter 13

In the heart of the demon council Sesshomaru was nearly panting " Kagome stand back." he demanded with the strength still in his voice. She snapped her eyes to him to be sure that she saw correctly. He muscled through the pain with indomitable will power.

Becoming desperate Kagome looked for any way to help. Ren was charging and she felt her stomach lurch with fear and her energy spiked noticeably in her. Feeling a tingle in her fingers, and looked to see a pink light at the tips of her fingers. Thinking quickly she ducked to the side and as soon as Sesshomaru lunged forward, she released a bolt of energy that whizzed past Rens' right cheek causing him to sidestep left giving way to Sesshomarus' attack, he plunged his hand into Ren's chest and ripped a hole into his belly through the gap in his Armour, releasing him he let intestines fall to the ground in front of him.

Ren was surprised, he had not expected anything close to that kind of speed. He hadn't even seen his claws. The nerve of that dog! He looked to the ground watching as his own intestines began to touch the ground, and he scooped them back up and put them back in. gold colored blood seeped from him like a fountain and he was beginning to loose consciousness.

"This is over." Sesshomaru said walking back toward the rooms where they would await the councilman's decision. Kagome followed him and bent to grab his other arm from the ground. "Leave it, it was too weak to be apart of this ones body." he said calmly and reluctantly, she turned back to him and left it as he wished. She watched his back as he walked into the room and shut the door behind them. he disrobed removing the bloody garments that were in tatters around his body. Kagome helped him trying to heal his small wounds, he hissed in pain from the energy of her magic. "Those will heal soon enough." he complained not wanting to be tortured by the burn of her powers.

"Okay, fine. Sesshomaru... your ...arm, its still bleeding I don't want you to loose consciousness." she started and pealed his shirt off of his shoulders and got a look at the stump of his left arm. Putting her hands to the torn flesh she engulfed his skin in pink light and cauterized it immediately. She had dealt with severed limbs before, and, this one did not look good, there was no way to reattach it.

Sesshomaru was not surprised by the pain that was sent through his body and braced himself not even flinching when the sting came this time, she looked at him with anxiety in her eyes, making him flush with anger for that mutt Ren. Just the thought of that man made his instincts flare, he would never forgive what he did. His only satisfaction would be when he got the pleasure of killing him personally

The council was shocked as Ren gathered his organs, Saito held his hand up stopping him the demon held his position and was approached by the demon healers that had entered for the decision making. One of the demons gathered the remaining parts of Sesshomaru's arm from the arena and they worked quickly to replace the organs and seal the wound that was clear through to Ren's spine.

He was sour of disposition while the demons worked to heal him, he was used to injuries from the battle field but it had been a century since he had been injured like this from a one on one fight. He gnashed his teeth growling and had to strangle back the beast in him that wanted to tear through the walls of the councils judgment chambers and destroy the Inu and his human wench.

The bolt she had formed had not hit him, but, in dodging it he had walked into her mates claws. He cursed her and her unearthly beauty that had fist captivated him. It was a rare woman to mate with a demon, and it was a rare Inu to mate outside of the Inu tribes. But,_ he_ was the demon Lord that had recently become a demon, Ren was sure that he must have come to know her before he had come into power, to him, that was the only explanation a ancient bloodline would mix with something so vile as human blood.

Sesshomaru redressed into the extra cloths that he had requested from Sakake, he hated to look anything but pristine and was satisfied before he reappeared into the arena with Kagome not far from his side. He stood between her and all of the demons that were in the room, each one had the lust for human blood in them from the latest violations of the treaty, and, the fact that Ren had already laid hands on her was still heavy on his mind, he was not going to take any chances.

"We have come to a decision to weather you, Sesshomaru inuyoukai of the white clan, are worthy of your rank as demon lord over the western lands of japan. This in mind. There has been a first in the councils history. Due to both parties incapacitation there has been a tie. The title will remain in the open, and whomever is strong enough to keep it may have it. May the kami be with you." Saito said almost gleefully.

Both men looked at the council with a mixture of disgust and hatred. Hitomi smiled nodding toward her grandson and made it known that she was pleased that at least he did not loose. Ren looked at Sesshomaru. And sized him up smirking. " your nothing but a cripples dog now. I will dispatch you easily." Ren chuckled at them

" this is your warning, if I see you again I will kill you." he promised and Ren backed up disappearing while smiling at Kagome with no shame for the interest he held for her. Shaking her head Kagome cursed at him under her breath.

The council dismissed themselves as the drama unfolded and Hitomi met them with irritation in her eyes. " well at least you didn't loose." she remarked. Sesshomaru ignored her and began to walk out of the arena with Kagome in tow. " Sesshomaru you will face more than this on the path that you are to follow. But you are strong. The clan of the white Inu is behind you.." she said and nodded to Sakake he came over to give her a drink and her coat for traveling. " we are returning to the mountain, let the kami be with you." she said to both of them and departed.

" I thought the old woman would never leave." he admitted and Kagome stayed politically silent keeping in mind the first time they met and being held captive by the giant wolf guardian spirit.

Sesshomaru felt no anger at his lost limb. He had spared his own life by sacrificing it to block but in loosing it he was inconvenienced. Kagome was staring and he was partially aware that she was going to be impacted by the loss of his limb but he was sure that it would regenerate eventually like the rest of his body did, it was just a matter of power. He would begin working on that immediately.

On the street they were stared at them, he was glared at themwith hatred in the humans eyes, he did not care but in seeing the hostility toward his mate he was beginning to become annoyed. In the crowd he heard the whispers of disgust but he did not see Kagome react to them so he assumed that she did not hear them.

She was ignoring it with grace, he was impressed and more so when she radiated charm and her smile was full of kindness even when It was met with a frown. She stood on his right side and reached for his hand wrapping her fingers around him and he understood that she was coping with something that she was already familiar with.

Sesshomaru dragged her through the winding streets and did not stop until they were out of the city they had walked in silence for the most part but they had a mutual understanding of the severity of their situation. Finally after a few moments longer then Kagome could bare she hesitated. " Sesshomaru.." she started. He stopped in the darkness and for the first time she realized how much time had passed. It was the eve of the new years festival, and they had just passed the threshold into a very real war that would be over their home lands. "I want to rest soon, but first please let me look at the rest of your injuries." she asked though she knew he would only do so when he wished.

He did not stop immediately, but as he walked, he thought about the years that they had been together. At first there had been so much to do, so many things to attend to, and disputes to be resolved. The things of his daily life had not changed except for her presence in his life. He settled disputes, signed licenses deeds and treaties all day while balancing his time corresponding with other lords negotiating for trade rights, and when the day ended, she filled him anew with purpose.

Kagome saw him wrinkle his nose sniffing her once more and he stepped back from her " we will have to take care of that... smell" he sneered

Kagome sniffed her garbs and found nothing but the scent of her washing minerals. " what?" she said slightly offended. Sesshomaru sighed and brought his hand to her chin and grabbed her face. Feathering his thumb across her lips, he frowned.

"here. The smell of him is still on you." he said breathing against her face. She frowned and brought the hem of the sleeve to brush it off. Sesshomaru shook his head and placed his mouth against hers hungrily,he let his energy flair until it was nearly palpable around them. Whimpering she held on to him as an anchor. Kagome was being overwhelmed by his energy and begun to feel weak.

Sesshomaru was intrigued by the feel of her energy batting against his own. The feel of her lips were warm and sweet and he reached for more though he could feel her begin to weaken. He muted his energy and sniffed her breathing deeply, she smelled like him. Satisfied he pulled her to his chest and held her there. Her heart was beating in time with his own. Looking down at her closed eyes, Sesshomaru was content, almost happy even, but the taint of the councils descision weighed on him. He would fight to protect everything that belonged to him.

Back at the palace of the western lands Inuyasha wandered the halls. Rin had been strangely silent all day, he assumed it was because of her lingering guilt for leaving her brother. She would get over it and it wasn't like the kid didn't know where she lived now. If he lived through the stunts he wanted to pull off.

Sniffing the fresh breeze that wafted through the open window, he froze uncertain if his senses were back to normal or still fogged from his human night. " father?" he wondered " what could he want after so much time." he clenched his fist descended down the hall to the front entrance.

He patrolled the torrents of the old palace unsure of where he would land but there was no doubt that the old man was coming home. He was glad that he could get to him before Sesshomaru did, or Kagomes' for that matter. The fox demons scent was there too, accompanied by two others that he was not familiar with. No matter, no one would get between them.

Rin was in the gardens when she saw Inuyasha fly into the sky and land in the high branch of an old tree. He was looking to the northeast with a look of anger unlike she had seen before. Looking into the distance she saw nothing. " Inuyasha?" she called and he glanced at her over his shoulder. " what s coming?" she asked curious. He didn't answer immediately.

Jumping to the ground he went to the child and knelt down and pointed to the place where he was staring at. " father." is what he said and a huge grin formed on her face.

" yay!" she shouted and danced around happily. Inuyasha groaned knowing that was going to be the kids reaction. He would just have to disappoint her again when he got here. It wasn't long before they touched down and he was surprised to see the fire demon that he had met in the capital accompanying his father.

Rin ran to Touganoumaru and wrapped her arms around his waist hugging him fiercely. He patted the child on her back with something akin to regret in his eyes. " rin we must leave this place immediately." he began and Rin wrenched back from him like he had shocked her.

Her eyebrows furrowed realizing why he had come. It was what her grandfather had told her that she could not escape her fate of becoming the empress and, now, he was coming to _make_ her take it on anyway. " its my brother you want hes already there. I want nothing to do with any of it." she snarled turning from excited to enraged in a matter of moments.

Inuyasha had witness Rin throw tantrums before, it was rare though for this usually docile girl to lash out. Stepping forward he yanked the kid back by her kimono and tucked her under his arm while she still struggled and cried. " whoa, pops, we have a score to settle before you go off on all this. Rin go to your room." he said putting her down and dismissing her, she ran angrily trying to escape those trying to take her.

Inuyasha, we do not have time for this." Touganoumaru started but Inuyasha lunged at him and punched him across the face.

" you left us here to clean up your mess after all that shit you spouted, for all that time! Do you know what kind of chaos ensued after everything happened? Where the hell have you been! What could possibly be so important that you left everything else behind. You left us behind!" he was pissed with inhibited passion flaring through his aura and showing in his face.

Mira looked between the two kinsman figuring out why the demon had seemed so familiar, they were father and son. This Inuyasha was striking chords in Mira that flared anger for the older demon herself, but seeing the unbridled fire in this demons eyes reminded her of home and she felt a sadness that lingered within her heart, a sharing of his emotions. She wanted her fathers approval as well.

Touganoumaru had expected it he had wanted to be sure himself before he gave them hope but now he was faced with the consequences of his own actions. " I was looking for my wife." he said aloud for the first time to anyone other then Shippo.

Inuyasha threw his hands up. " really, father, you won. We turned out to really become demons. That was true, but father. Mother is dead, I saw her. Don't do this to us. Your sons, my brother and I are still here we needed you to be here for us." he was yelling not wanting to believe that after everything his father still wanted to chase ghosts.

" Its not how it sounds, my first wife, she is a demon and is still alive, unconscious but she still lives. Her spirit dwells some place else where it will not return to her body. I must find and return it." he explained but Inuyasha didn't want to hear it.

" Fine what ever father, what are you here for, if not to return home to take care of your political and familial responsibilities." he mocked his father and was greeted with a hard stare. He did not back down.

"I have come here, accompanied by this group to retrieve the heir of the emperor-" he started but Inuyasha cut him off.

"Not going to happen." he shut him down.

"You will not stop me." he said unaffected.

"Maybe not, but she will. She doesnt want to. How about you go find that brother of hers, he wants it bad enough." he said and began walking away. he was done dealing wit them if that was all thay had to say. he was about to jump to the second story window when he heard a call.

"Wait." mira called he paused to concider her, he had no ill will toward her, and remembered how souta had been drawn to her. " please may I make my case to her. I have no interest in politics, I am not from this place, but I am trying to get home. If she is the right person, it may be the only way to get back home." mira stood with her demon, she was in a humans form and in the light of the mid day he wondered why she still smelled of fire.

" Aren't you a half demon?" he asked recalling her words to him.

" Yes, I am human during the daylight hours." she admitted aloud he looked at her surprised that she would admit it so openly. " and at night I become my full demon self. Believe this, Inuyasha, I am on my way through to my home in the realm of the demons. I will not trouble you long if I can help it, but I need the heir in order to even learn how to get a_ start_ on my journey home." she was looking at him with eyes that held the same fire that his had and he smiled to himself.

"It ain't my decisions, its hers. You are welcome, feel free to stay. the staff will give you a room. Father, you know the way to your wing." he mentioned as he began back to the palace. His father was already gone.

"What about my companion." she called and he turned to look at the coal like beast that towered over them all. She patted his chest as he sat comfortably waiting.

"The grounds are open and the village down the hill is full of demons and dwellings big enough for him if you are interested." he said not knowing what else to say. That seemed to satisfy her and she smiled happily and mounted her beast. " whats its name." he asked not realizing that he was more then just a pet.

" I am Goliath,_ Inuyasha_." Goliath growled, not wanting to be over looked. Inuyasha's eyes were drawn away from the half demon woman to her companion, the great demon was as black as night but he could tell that they were not to far removed from his own line of Inu demons. Speculatively he walked around the black Inu.

"Why do you live in that form?" he asked the old demon. Looking at him there was no real difference between the two species of dog demons. If his father lived in this humanoid it was probably possible for this demon to as well.

"This is the way of the fire hound of Reshiems mountain." he declared telling his heritage as he had many times before. Mira nodded understanding why he would ask the obvious question.

"Many dog demons of my world live in this form... though you are the first half dog demon that I have seen. They usually are very particular about their mates." she scrunched her brows but shrugged. "this realm is full of surprises." she said unknowingly striking a nerve with him.

"Which of your parents is human?" he asked stomping on formality to get a cutting remark out before she could hurt him first. She noticed, and felt her face flush for offending him. Brushing a curly strand of hair out out her eyes she nodded accepting his slight and answered.

"Forgive my ignorance, it is the same as you, my mother. Once, my father traveled to this realm, as I am now, and found my mother on a continent far from here. After they mated, they returned to the place of his home but only after I was born; they had determined that this is no world for half demons. I know that know for myself, though my father begged me not to return to this place, I did. That is why I must return. To go back to the life that he had built for me there" she spoke with the wisdom of her lifetime in the demon realm compared to the human.

"What life is there for a half demon in the demon realm?" he challenged not swayed from his anger. She was trying something, he was sure of it. Her strange eyes and the demon that accompanied her peaked his interest but he would not allow himself to become vulnerable to anyone. " you don't carry your power with you half of the time, how could you be of use?" he was beginning to step on her feelings as well and there was about to be a fight. Goliath intervened.

"Do not be fooled, Inuyasha, she has power of her own. I am her protection no one will get to her but through me." he recited his promise.

" Goliath, there is much about this place we do not understand, I have offended him. That cannot be overlooked but, we will stay until I am able to make my case to the human girl. I must get home." Mira said turning her emotions off. Inuyashas' face flushed realizing that he had been childish. But it was too late now. Her strange eyes turned from him and she dealt with him briskly wanting to leave the uncomfortable situation. This angered him more then her implication that he was different then other half demons even. To him he was just as good as any one else and she could kiss his ass if she thought any thing else. But at the same time he was enthralled with the idea that in the other realm there was a better life waiting for him. He shook the idea from his mind.

"Very well." Inuyasha said and watched as she mounted her beast once more and they flew into the distance in the direction of the village. He wished that he could start over and take back the argument that had just happened. There really hadn't been reason for him to become so angry, but the though of her thinking of him as lesser made his blood hot with rage.

Touganoumaru was outside of Rins' room, it was still in his eldest sons wing, the familiar scents and the sight of his wives nursery from Sesshomaru's infant days made him long for that time again. But it was the room next to hers that he sought and he wrapped on the door lightly.

"If it is lord Touganoumaru, go away." she yelled and he found himself leaving. Trying to turn he found the task impossible. Touganoumaru did not stop until he was back in his old room and sat on his bed. Looking around for his apprentice he realized that he hadn't seen the kit since they had landed.

Speaking of Shippo, he was far from the palace wandering the new labyrinth village of his youth. He had a destination and almost ran to the cottage where he had spent most of his childhood. "Kagome!" he shouted and burst through the door.

"Oi! Shippo, you scare an old woman!" Keade yelled startled from her mid morning nap.

"Where is Kagome I didn't scent her at the palace..." he started. Keade took a second and waved the child over to the hearth. He came and sat obediently.

"The child has gone abroad to learn her abilities. She had been gone for years. It wasn't long after you left that she just could not stand to be there alone in that palace. I moved back here after she left, with her gone I was bored living in that place myself." she recounted.

"Years? When will she be coming back?" Shippo felt a lump grow in his throat. It had taken some courage to return to face his foster mother. She had raised him until he had abandoned her, and hearing that it was him, that sent her over the edge. He was ashamed. What was worse, was to return not to her teary eyes demanding answers, but to her long term absence without any clue of how to find her. His shoulders slumped and suddenly he felt like his adventure wasn't worth thee time he had missed with Kagome.

"Shippo, I think she will be relieved to hear that you came to see her. I will tell her when she returns." Keade looked far away, she had begun to be lonely in her old age and had hoped that she would return soon. Only time would tell, she thought and stoked the fire again.

Shippo didn't stay long, he sought the place where their two mysterious companions went to and found them inhabiting a barn on the outskirts of town. " What are you doing here? Inuyasha said you could stay in the palace."

" I am afraid that I offended him. I only wish to return home, there is no need for added conflict." she reasoned with the logic she possessed. Shippo laughed. mira raised a brow and looked at the kit who made a face.

"That dumb jerk gets mad easily, give him an hour and he'll have forgotten what it was about." Shippo said as though from experience. Mira looked at him and laughed at his attitude.

"Have you known him long?" she asked

" pft, no... he is my foster mothers brother in law, and I was adopted at an older age and only stayed in the palace for two years before I joined my master." he shrugged. " before that I lived here in this village." he giggled. " I haven't been back since... I could show you around the village and take you to my old hang out spots." he said excited, Mira looked at the small demon that looked to be less then two decades old and smiled. She remembered what it was like to be that young.

"Alright." Mira smiled.

Inuyasha made his way to the village he was not used to having to justify his behavior but he did not want her to think that he was just some ass hole. He wasn't, at least _he didn't think so_.

It was nearly dark when he found her, she was with Shippo at the edge of the forest and he stopped, feeling a surge of power. She thought that they were alone, but he watched intently as her curly brown hair turned to teal flames and her aura spiked with the heat of the inferno that was released from within her. When the sun set, there was no evidence of the human looking woman that had stood before him an hour before. She, was beautiful.


	14. Chapter 14

Rin could take it any more, she stomped around her room and got as close to cursing as she had ever come in her life. She came to the things she had stored from her journey, the mirror her grandfather had gifted her and looked into it angrily, she suspected that he could see her and stuck her tongue out at the image.

" I don't want to go back!" she said to herself.

" I don't blame you," she whirled around and found her crow demon sitting on the perch she had set up for him. " I sensed some terrible things happening there, and that brother of yours... he is not what I was expecting." Tangu said cocking his head to the side and hopping around.

"Its not my brother, Souta is everything that I had wished, but... he wants to go back to the way things used to be. Its like he forgot that our parents died over this." Rin crossed her arms. Tangu flew to her shoulder and picked through her hair.

"YRin, he wants to stop the war. Its coming, there's no doubt. If things continue as they are, thousands will die. You cant blame him for wanting to stop it." he reasoned and Rin gasped at the obvious jab.

"Your supposed to be my friend! You saw how the nightmares affected me, since I met Souta again I haven't had another dream like those. Maybe its all over." she was lying to herself now her temper flared but the demon was wise then the girl gave him credit for and he flew out of reach and let her rant.

" Rin, I am always your humble servant, hear this, please. Things are changing, we must all change, or be left behind." he said and flew out the window. Rin was panting with the anger that flared through her. She flopped down on her bed and thought about the dream that she had had just the previous night. Her grandfather had told her what she must do, but how? She had no idea that there might be any other members of her family in existence, until she had become aware of her brother she had thought that she was the only one left.

' the kin of spirit and the blood bond of a great demon united, will become the key to unlock the way to the demon realm, combined with the power of our fathers you will destroy Misaka's will' he had told her, though she still contemplated its meaning. She had tried to ignore it, push the thought aside and had even managed to throw a temper tantrum at everyone who had tried to push her towards this destiny. She heard some one walking down the hall and could have sworn it was her guardian going about his normal routine, she stopped and saw the door open, " who is it?" she called not wanting to deal just yet with another gate seeker.

"Ah Rin my girl, it is just me, Zen, I brought you some tea and I've come with a message from your tutor, that if you are going to be staying, he would like to resume your lessons." zen went about his business setting out her cups and pouring her tea.

"Zen, thank you, I did not mean to be rude there is a lot going on right now." she sighed.

He smiled. " I know, you forget that I have served this family longer then the curse had been in effect. I know the things that my master has forgotten about his own history. But you know some times even the most powerful need to be reminded to step back and look at the bigger picture." he said and thought for a moment. " are those dreams still bothering you?" he asked.

"Not really I've only had one and it was different then the others, I spoke with someone." she said shivering and rubbing her arms trying to chase the chills away.

"That is common for a higher level creature that contacts a lower level being. Often the dream realm is more open to the intrusion of people into your thoughts. There they can compel you communicate or even posses you. Be careful. If it feels dark let me know and ill contact the lady Kagome to create a charm or sutra to ward off restless spirits." zen spoke with her as though she were an adult just like he was, she had always liked the head of staff for the palace and he had been the only person that was allowed free reign over the palace, second only to the lord of the mansion. He was trusted as far back as the lords grand father and Rin kept this in mind as she talked with him/

"It is my ancestor,he wishes me to face everything that he failed to do in his life. I am just a child, you know me, I don't even go a week without skipping my lessons."

"Ah I see, that clears a few things up for me, young lady. You have not told the lord Sesshomaru that this has happened" zed raised his eyebrows and Rins face flushed.

"No, I have not yet told him, I'm afraid with everything going on right now that if I go back then everyone will be killed, because of me. All I have ever wanted was to go back to the way thing were before the cursed had lifted, why cant I just be a kid." Rin was going back to her original argument not wanting to be swayed. Zen's eyes widened and he bowed to her.

"Lady Rin, you re the descendant of the great emperor?" she nodded reluctantly. " you grandfather is contacting you. Is he not," she nodded once more. " Rin some times fate has a way of turning us from the path that we would have chosen if we could have. Remember this though, as you decide; your grandfather spent his life creating a utopia for humans and demons, while he ruled there was no war or rumor of war between the two peoples. We had a combined army and even shared the knowledge and wealth among all the people of japan.

The currant emperor is sending out declarations of warm I do not think that emperor Kirito would have wished for this," zen was not trying to lecture the child but she was resistant as some one of her age could be.

" But what can I do?" she whined knowing they she was getting out of hand again but not caring.

" What cant you do, at a whim you can send any demon running." he said and turned to leave. Rin did not want to hear it any more and did not even look up when zen left, she knew the old man was trying to look out for her.

"He's right." she turned and saw Tiki san on the window sill and considered him. " you can scatter a thousand demons with your will alone, doesn't that mean anything to you." he asked her

Rin considered that for a moment and realized that she was the only one with the power " but what if I fail. She cried with real tears starting to form. She was showing the real fear that had been plaguing her. " last time my family tried to take back power, my father was killed, then my home was burnt to the ground. How can I face that again."

"That is simple my Rin, and not at all what your expecting me to say." he fluttered around. "We have lord Sesshomaru lord Touganoumaru and lord Inuyasha, ready to fight to protect you. Do you believe in them?" he asked.

Rin stopped for a second and thought about it. Her lord Sesshomaru could never be beaten, that is what her hear told her, and she looked at Tangu as though for the first time. " your right, I've been thinking as though I have to do this alone but... I'm not."

"You never have been my Rin, from the moment you left the lord has been watching and keeping you safe. Lord Inuyasha has been your faithful companion and Youkio would lay down his life for you my lady. You have friends everywhere that will protect you from the emperor." Tangu expressed himself further by extending his wings as far as he could and souring across the room.

Inuyasha walked into the city, he was not going to apologize first but he did not want the woman to think that he just lost his temper like that all of the time. The sun was beginning to set and torched were lit throughout the village to preserve sight for the underdeveloped or humans. Mira and her companion were outside the village, which he found curious. Sniffing the wind currants he followed their scent to the garden where Kagome used to spend all of her time.

"This is the garden of my lady Kagome, she has been absent for two years but her garden is still beautiful." Shippo was telling Mira.

Mira felt the change happening within herself and she stepped away from the kit into a clear area so she could transform. Shippo gawked though he had seen it before and clapped when she had changed completely. Immediately with her extra senses she turned and looked at the place where Inuyasha was watching them. She frowned and considered that he might be there to continue the argument.

Inuyasha, being caught, came forward and could not help but look at the woman in front of him. He wished she was smiling but the frown marring her features had been placed there by him and he felt himself flush. He cleared his throat. " Mira, I wanted to apologize for loosing my temper." he managed though he had promised himself that he would not apologize first.

Mira's eyes widened and she nodded accepting his apology, then she smiled at him. "Thank you, I too am sorry for speaking without thinking." she blushed and he found himself staring.

" Inuyasha your ruining my tour!" Shippo said indignantly.

" buzz off squirt" he snapped and Mira giggled at them. " its night time I think your tour is over. Lets go back to the palace." he said and grabbed him and stuffed him under his arm. Mira shrugged and took hold of a tuft of Goliath's fur to wake him up. He struggled getting up and growled grumpy at having to get out of his comfortable position.

The trip back to the palace was uneventful and Shippo even managed to fall asleep before he was awakened by Goliath landing at the steps to the front door. He jerked awake and yelled startled. Mira grabbed him and set him on the ground and left Goliath out on the grounds. He wandered to a grassy spot and laid down.

Upstairs Rin knew when the demons had returned, she just got this dread feeling in the pit of her sumach. Coming to the front room where the demons waited for her and was surprised. She had not gotten a good look at the visitors, beside Inuyasha a female demoness stood looking at her with earnest eyes. Rim decided that she liked the woman and smiled sweetly at her. " hello Inuyasha, who is this?" she asked.

"This is Mira, she has something she would like to ask you." Inuyasha stepped forward and took a comfortable place leaning against a wall.

"Rin, I am Mira of the fire demon tribe. Please allow me to ask for your time." she aid in her strange way of speaking. Rin nodded and they went to the meeting chamber that allowed for privacy as well as comfort. Rin settled down and folded her hands in her lap awaiting what Mira had in store for her. Inuyasha stood against the wall behind Rin. " I do not care about restoring human kingdoms." she said catching Rin off guard. She leaned forward now interested. " I have crossed time and space to chase a dream" she started and told Rin the story of how she journeyed though the demon and found the legendary home of the first gate. The place where her own father that crossed nearly fifty years earlier and had destroyed it behind him. Making a deal with the gate its self she was able to pass through. She did not mention what the deal had been but said that she had passed though and entered the place of her mothers kin. Everyone was enthralled listening as though it were some fantasy rather then the last three years of her life. The telling of adapting to the cultures around her and being lost in a place where no one understood her touched a chord in Inuyasha and he turned his face not liking to be reminded of his difference. Rin was crying when she recounted being kidnapped in daylight by human traffickers and shipped across seas in chains that trapped her in human form.

" It was a long journey and so far from any heat source Goliaths' strength is limited. He is only as fast as the currant of the wind, and, crippled from birth. He could not catch up until three days after I had been freed from my chains." she smiled at Inuyasha who looked away uncomfortable. "I have searched for a way back, I do not understand the way of humans, we are not like you and, I was not prepared for the darkness I have found here. You see, my father _was_ right, I should have stayed, but I was deluded in my pursuit of a fantasy. I can not make you do anything you do not want to do,

but I ask only that you consider coming to the place where my fathers kinsman may have a way to send me back."

Rin swallowed, she knew why they could not go home, she knew and she knew what had to be done, but the child I her rebelled and she found herself backed against a wall. " then ill have to leave..." she looked at Inuyasha and knew that he was reading her mind. Tears formed in her eyes and she wished that she had lady Kagome there to hold on to. Shippo took her hand.

" Rin I know its scary thinking about change but, I don't want you to worry. Ill be with you until the end." he vowed knowing that meant that he had to re negotiate his apprenticeship with Touganoumaru. Now that he had come back he knew that he couldn't just leave again, at least not without seeing Kagome first.

" I will help. It is time." she said and nodded to herself. Inuyasha was surprised but he felt proud of her in that moment. Mira was relieved and she let the warmth of her excitement warm the room around her.

Mira was too excited to rest and wandered the palace that night. There was nothing around, no trouble in sight and she was dreaming of flying over the red sands of the mountain foothills of her home. She looked at the waxing moon through the windows and thought of the twin moons that rose over her sky every three days. It was three years since she had been home. Her heart longed for the familiarity and the security of being with her own people. Her father was growing older and though he still had a few centuries she was his only heir and would be continuing their craft into the next age. She was lost in her own daydream remembering the weight of her minerals and the sharpening stones that had been part of her craft, and barely noticed when Inuyasha entered the walkway.

Inuyasha did not hide his curiosity. He walked up behind her and looked up at the moon that shone brightly in the sky. " what are you looking at." he said breaking the silence. He felt the warmth of her aura spike and he knew that she was embarrassed for some reason.

Mira had been caught daydreaming and she was already on edge about their journey. She felt so close that she could almost feel the warm winds that flow off of the sand dunes.

" I was just trying to pass the time, I am excited to get started. After three years I have been looking for a way home, I feel like for the first time in years I'm finally on the right track. Thank you for getting me out of those chains back then. I wouldn't have gotten away on my own." she looked at him with gratitude in her eyes. Inuyasha smiled and leaned against the wall beside her to better see her face.

" Mira what will you do when you get home, you got some one waiting for you there." he pressed her for information, his investigation did not seem to bother her and she thought for a moment before answering.

" I have no one in that realm, but my father, and the legacy he is creating for me. I am due to be the successor to his craft." she had excitement in her eyes and he felt a twinge of jealousy.

"What does he do?" he asked feeling a little shut down. She smiled as though she had been hoping that he would ask.

"We forge weapons, demon and soul bound, you would call them living weapons. It one of three places in my whole world that forges them," she bragged it up and he actually found it impressive.

"There are weapons of that kind here, they are possessed only by the most powerful of demons. Your father actually forges them" he smiled and thought of he could do with a sword like that and suddenly they were talking about weapons and fighting and neither of them realized how long they had been there talking.

" Inuyasha, we have been here all night," Mira interrupted him and brought his attention to the rising sun. she took hold of the window sill and felt the power drain out of her. She was reduced to human and felt exhaustion flood her. " the mornings are always herd on me." she said and tried to stand on her own but stumbled.

" Whoa I've got you. What do you need." he asked her scenting for injury, he found her to be hungry beyond belief and tired.

" On Goliath side pack I have my food supplies I just need something to eat." she said almost to the point of fainting.

" supplies? That's crap I'm taking you to the dining room, there's bound to be a servant somewhere around." he snorted and picked her up bridal style and walked down the halls with her that way. Her face was red and she insisted that she could walk but he ignored her. " Zen, you there?" he asked and an old man walked out of the shadows." Ah, good to see you, I need a meal prepared for my human guest." he said and set her down on a hard wooden chair and took a seat himself. " Rin should be down shortly, she tends to rise early."

Mira had never been served before and she was feeling awkward but the half demon beside her was in his natural environment. The servants brought her a plate of food and she looked at it curiously, it was a noodle dish that Inuyasha was also digging into beside her " what is this?" she asked

" Ramen, its a dish from the city and I love it." he said through a full mouth. Mira smiled took a bite, he had stopped to see her reaction. She was surprised that she liked it so much and forgot her manors to chow down realizing how hungry she was. " its good. How long has it been since you've eaten last."

" Not for lack of supplies but its been three days since I've eaten last. She answered between bites. Inuyasha nodded and watched her eat the rest of her food.

They all gathered in front of the palace Rin was ready to face what lay ahead. She was about to grab the few things that she needed for the journey when Inuyasha stooped over and whispered to her. " Rin I am glad that you chose to go back."

the skies were clear as they traveled. And it took the entire day to reach Totosai mountain. Totosai felt a great weight land on his cliff and shake the ground slightly. He tried to roll over and go back to sleep but the noise was just beginning. Almost immediately he heard the footsteps that lead to his door but not hearing a knock he turned over. "Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" he screamed when he turned and met angry blue eyes staring down at him irritated.

"Totosai! We have brought you the heir to the human throne, now is the time for you to return me to my home!" she declared with more energy then Totosai was prepared to deal with. He covered his ears and eyed her warily. The fox demon was at her heels watching with laughter in his eyes.

"My girl I don't see any one with you, go away and come back once I've had a proper nap." he yawned and grumpily began to go back to sleep. Mira was not having it and she pursed her lips thinking about what to do about the non compliant old man.

"By the curses reined down by the elder dragon I am binding you by the old agreement..." she started.

"You can't do that, we haven't agreed on anything. This old man has been old far longer then you've even been alive, now, go about your business." he said lazily.

The group was waiting outside and was beginning to wonder what was taking so long. Shippo came out and shook his head. "The old man just does not want to help us." he said. Inuyasha looked at the group with little understanding, but the rage on his fathers face was very real. He watched him stretch and then walk into the skeleton home.

"Totosai." Touganoumaru was getting impatient and was done playing the games of theses dragons. He walked to the old man and yanked him from his cot. He was at the edge of the cliff before the old man could scream and let him dangle. " Assist us or die." he gave the demon an ultimatum.

Totosai was wide awake now and quaking with fear. It was a strategically long way down and his old bones would ache for days should he be dropped from this height. "Oh... you mean right now? It is a fair amount of work to conjure such a feat." he stuttered.

" I am looking for my mate, you will not get in my way. Lead us to the gate of the demon realm or die by my hand here and now." he growled and let the red bleed into his eyes a little. The old demon was scared looking at him with big and bulging eyes and his mouth agape in a silent scream.

" Yes... yes, just put me down!" he agreed.

Mira had walked out to witness the confrontation and was smiling happily. As suddenly as she had turned to rage at the demon elder, she had become as giddy as a young girl. Rin watched her with interest and smiled with her. She was beginning to like her and her companion. Rin was atop Goliaths' back holding on to his wide neck. The beast barely seemed to notice the added weight and actually made a habit of scooping her up to carry her.

" Mira, this means that you can go home soon!" she smiled broadly and jumped down to run over to Totosais' shaking form. He looked at her with his eyes scrunched in skepticism. " hello, I am Rin, Totosai, this one has lived among these men most of my life. It is best to do as you're told." she whispered to him not remembering that the canine demons could hear her.

"She is correct." Touganoumaru seconded.

Rin winked at him and the old demon quirked his eyebrow and looked at her again with widening eyes. "Rin, are you the descendant of Kirito the leader of both demons and humans?" he asked her.

"That is correct." she said with a hint of sadness. The old demon smiled at her and he felt within himself that this was the one that he had been looking for. They had a mirrored expression and attitude. He was nearly overwhelmed thinking about the possibilities

" Rin as a friend of the old emperor, I am honored to meet you, and to possibly aide you on your mission. Please come in." he stepped aside and ushered her in shutting the door in the demons faces. The smile slid from Mira's face and she banged on the mat that played as a door.

Totosai ignored them the best that he could, and began dumping ingredients into his cauldron, Rin watched curiously and giggled as he talked to himself a little crazily, " Rin could I have a drop of your blood to complete the serum?" he asked

"What is it for." she asked curiously.

"To awaken the power and hopefully the memories in your blood. It is one of the ways we can defeat the source of darkness." he said honestly. Rin swallowed the fear in her and extended her hand to allow him to cut her. He used the edge of his claw and she flinched back but the drop of blood dripped into the pool of liquid it shimmered then became clear. He ladled out some of it and offered it to her. "drink" he said with light in his eyes.

Rin sipped the potion and felt a tingle in her veins. She was warm all over and felt the mirror in her inner pocket vibrate. She withdrew it and looked into it. Her grandfathers face smiled at her and she gasped and looked up at the old demon.

"What is that?" he asked she nearly threw it into his hands. At that time Inuyasha barged in throwing formality out the window and stomped around. Mira came in after him and Touganoumaru walked in with Shippo at his heels.

"Take it." she said and stood to run away. Inuyasha frowned realizing what was happening and grabbed her by the back of her kimono.

"No you don't. Rin isn't that the mirror your grandfather gave you. The one that's Supposed to find anything?" he snarled and yanked the mirror out of Totosai hands, the old man glared and voiced his dismay.

"Yes... It startled me that's all." she said Totosai was ecstatic.

" Its here, the mirror! Now I need to recreate the sword and the cloak, that will be tricky but.. with one piece already it should not be that difficult."

"A sword?" Mira perked up. " what kind of sword?" she was excited thinking about the possibilities.

"Ah this one is living, an ally of the emperor that sacrificed himself and became the most powerful weapon, only to be wielded by the emperor or his kin. This sword can be summoned, but I will need a few things." he looked at the demons in front of him.

Touganoumaru stepped forward without hesitation. " I have been waiting for this moment for my entire life. Totosai I will aide you in this." but the old man just moved closer to Rin and begged to see the mirror again. Rin nearly threw it into his hands.

" mirror!" he shouted and looked at the reflection of himself for several seconds. Every one stared at him.

" Eh old man what the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha barked angry for having his time wasted like that.

Touganoumaru was thoughtful looking on with eyes to observe. The old man was acting as though he expected something from it. His eyes widened and he smiled and walked over to the mirror. Taking it from the hands of the old man he gazed into it and feels around the frame. It had a strange aura, sniffing it carefully he noticed that it carried its own scent and it was detectable as a life form. " I believe that this mirror is alive, mirror what is you name." he said into it.

"Yes alive." an old voice crooned from the depths of the mirrors image. The glass shown with a purplish light. " I am Tegat, see what lays behind." the glass darkened and the image of a hallway replaced the spirits face. Rin stepped back at the familiar sight but she could not tear her eyes from the validation of her nightmare.

Kirito was standing in front of a full sized version of their hand held mirror. He waved his hand in front of it and sifted through images of places that had never been dreamed of. He stopped and paused hearing a gentle knock on the door. He covered the mirror with a veil and beckoned his caller in.

"Ah sister. It is great to see you well. Morderiko and I have worried..." he stopped and he looked down at her hands that dripped blood. " what has happened are you hurt." he rushed to her aide.

" Kirito, you are such a fool. And now you are a dead fool. She smiled and flung her arms out and called darkness to her. " you have stood in my way brother, and now you will fall." she placed her hand on his chest and pushed him back. Kirito caught himself and his heart dropped.

"Papa?" a small voice called through the cracked door it opened and a small black haired boy peered in to see the commotion. He screamed and a beam of light shot out of Misaka's hand right at the child.

" No!" Kirito screamed and tackled her. She fell to the side with Kirito struggling to restrain her. "Go hide son!" he yelled and the boy stood there for a second and with tears in his eyes he turned and ran.

" You will pay!" she screamed and flung him off with a wave of power. She was enraged crazed and yelled as she summoned another wave of energy.

" Why are you doing this Misaka!" Kirito yelled.

With a wave of her hand she flung him into the mirror. Kirito turned and grabbed the veil covering the mirror. " I have lived in your shadow my whole life brother, and now no one can stop me." she whispered and summoned another wave of energy to hit him with.

" I can." he said and as she hit him with another wave that should have sent him through the mirror to his death. He flipped the cover over her face and turned into the mirror. " gate" he called and stepped into it. Misaka whirled around in the sudden stillness. She looked into the mirror and saw Kirito looking back at her.

"Gate!" she yelled and slammed his fist against the glass. Kirito shook his head and turned to walk away.

The mirror dulled and the group watching remained silenced for uncountable seconds. Rin was looking at the mirror with a mixture of anger and fear. It was still startling seeing it even for the second time. Touganoumaru absorbed what he had seen he was beginning to understand what was going on.

" Then it is through the mirror that the emperor disappeared." Touganoumaru observed. " Tegat are you the way to the emperor." he asked.

" I will only work for one who is of the emperors blood." he answered.

"Me?" Rin asked cautiously. Touganoumaru gave her the mirror and she looked into it and smiled seeing the demon who looked pleased to see her.

" Yes, third of the descendants of my master Kirito. Ask, and I will show." he said eloquently


End file.
